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

[Allen Hall]

Thank you, that was very informative!  I had not heard that hemp was used for making linen.  It also never dawned on me that linseed oil was from this source.
 
Great stuff!  During, or maybe after the plague, there would be plenty of help for making linen.
 
Alan
 
> Date: Sun, 19 Sep 2010 18:24:26 -0600
> From: hodgepatch at gmail.com
> To: artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org
> Subject: Re: [Artemisia] SCA skills in a Modern Plague (Praksedys)
> 
> 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
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