Work that needs doing on flax and linen

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Work that needs doing on linen project

Ways to move the linen project forward: February 26th, 2012

Brackets identify someone who has taken on that task.

(?) means no one has taken on that task yet.

 

Prepare to plant 2012 crop

  • Order more seed (Beatrice, Billy, Brian) DONE
  • Secure Elk Lake field (Billy) DONE
  • Prepare seed spreader, compactor (Brian)
  • Prepare tiller or tractor (Billy)

Ret remaining straw, during damp spring weather

  • Manage retting for the linen project – (Beatrice)
  • Co-ordinate with SHAS (Ken, Billy, Beatrice) DONE
  • Find and collect unretted 2010 straw, Friday – (Billy, Beatrice)
  • Contact Jesse Howardson to see what she has done (?)
  • Mow and use north field at Red Damsel farm? (?)
  • Ask Transition people to take over some retting (?)
  • Find storage space for flax straw, before and after retting (Billy will contact Woodwynn)
  • Make notes, take pictures (?)

 

Build processing equipment (ripplers, rotary hackles, spinning jenny)

  • Contact Jennifer about Irish contact, also pins, rotary hackle (Billy)
  • Follow up with Sophia in Manchester (Billy)
  • Study process of spinning on spinning wheels, drop spindles (?)
  • Contact Simon Cooper at Flaxland (?)
  • Contact Joybilee Farm for leads (Billy)
  • Visit processors on Saltspring and up-Island (?)
  • Set up milling machine, make ripples, hackles (Billy, ?)
  • Get and study “Spinning Mule” book (Billy)

 

Miscellaneous

  • Write glossary of antique terms (?)
  • Order in books
  • Contact “fibershed” people on Saltspring Island (?)
  • Start to learn about weaving methods specific to linen (Beatrice, ?)

 

11 thoughts on “Work that needs doing on flax and linen”

  1. I put a request for flax straw out to TTV Linen project, don’t know when it will show up on the website….No response from other folk who may also have straw flax available for retting. It looks like it may be clear enough tomorrow to start though, shall we start with what you have Billy?

  2. I have a bath and a barrel ready for pond retting. If there is straw available, I am especially keen on retting in the barrel, (sealed from the air). In theory this would be a lactic acid fermentation (like saurkraut) and the rett will stop when all the energy from the starch and pectins are converted to lactic acid and acetic acid etc.
    (Which will preserve the flax from additional rotting.) Also, (in theory), we could take a few straws from the barrel, dry them and check how far the rett is gone, and then just add sugar or any carbohydrate to continue the rett to perfection.
    If anyone has doubts, I have found a pdf which says flax benefits from a lactic fermentation.
    Brian

  3. I have been asking landscapers about the quickest most accurate ways to spread the seed. I think the little hand pushed grass spinners will work. They just need to be calibrated before with test runs over carpet or plastic sheet. Speed of walking is critical to get even distribution and the slope of the hill has to be factored in too.
    We may need a light rod, (like a long fishing rod), attached to easily, visually, keep the “spread” at the optimum distance as we go up and down the slope.
    On the family farm we just used 2 or 3 rows of sticks in the field to align the fertiliser spreader and I think the same approach will work once the little seed spreader is calibrated.
    Brian

  5. Brian, this is a great idea, I would love to see it in action when you are checking it. I have been researching both methods, and pond, or wet retting seems to be very quick. Do you have straw? How much do you need?

  6. Hello, (e-mail sent to Transition Victoria)

    After only four weeks of retting (rotting) the flax straw is ready to come off the field at SHAS to be bundled and hung for drying. Barb and Beatrice were out there this morning giving it one more flip, we gathered some, made it into stooks (bundles) and hung it up in Barb’s shed. Barb has very generously offered us space in her shed, for the rest of the flax straw as well. What we need now: a work party to go out to SHAS (Saanich Historical Artifacts Society), by carpool, bundle and tie the flax, then transport it to Barbs place for hanging. The tricky thing is that it needs to be done on a dry day, or else the flax will over ret and be unusable. Please help us out with this time sensitive task, so we can carry on with the linen project and further our progress in creating a Vancouver Island Fibreshed.

    Beatrice Keizers

  7. Hello all,

    I had a few extra minutes this morning and googled ‘rotary flax brake’ and up came all sorts of patents and pictures. Try it! I think this would be our ‘next step’?

  9. After chatting with Billy and Ken about various rotarys (brakeing, scrutching and hackling) this morning at the allotment, I had a thought about rotary hackling tool as I was using my drum carder to card some wool…do you think we could adapt that for hackling flax? I had a look at Brian’s video, the black and white one from the 40′s…they had some different ways of automated rippling and scrutching as well, the hackling however was shown as being done by hand. Some thoughts any how…..

  10. Here is an opportunity to get together, learn, teach and support our flax project. Come one and all June 16 from 10 am to 4 pm to break, scrutch, hackle, spin and weave. Become involved in teaching the process to others and learn why we are so obsessed! Saanich Historical Artifacts Society, have offered the same fabulous space again on the varanda of a building that houses flax/linen processing equipment. If you can come for one hour or all day, Please call Beatrice at (250) 884-5252

  11. Hello fellow flaxters!

    I am a little concerned that I have only heared from Barb about our workparty/demonstration next Saturday….please reply and let me know you are coming!

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