[Artemisia] SCA skills in a Modern Plague (Praksedys)

[Hastings Sanderson]

Regarding the question of linen :)  Flax will indeed grow in out climates,
as will hemp fiber which was used to make linen just as often.  Its rather
easy to grow, similar to a grain crop.  The difficulty, and all the work is
in the harvest.  Preparing flax for linen is VERY labor intensive.  I have
prepped linen from plant to fiber all of twice and don't really see myself
wanting to do it again without a lot of help.

Flax for linen is best pulled by hand to preserve the staple length and
keeps the taper so it can make a finer thread..  It is then tied in bundles
and left to dry.  Then its threshed by pulling it over boards with spikes to
remove the seed (which isn't usable if you are growing flax for fiber, but
is a really useful seed for oil-- linseed oil.)  After that the linen is
retted.  Retting is basically letting the flax rot.  Medieval villages
usually had a pond specifically for this purpose.  The flax was put in the
pond or bog for about 10 days.  There are other methods, including dew
retting where the flax is spread out on the ground and running water retting
where its put into a river.  The largest problem is knowing when its rotted
enough but not too much.  After retting, the flax is let dry and then
broken.  Breaking separates the fibers, pulling the stalks into individual
fibers.  Then the flax is scutched which is more beating to remove the woody
parts and the pulpy parts.  Last, the fiber is combed.  The process is sort
of similar to combing wool   Then its spun.

As I said, I've done the process twice, just to say I could and see how it
was done.  Its really labor intensive and requires skill and practice.    I
think I'll stick to felt for keeping my family clothed if I run out of my
giant fabric stash-- dealing with wool is easier.

-Praksedys