Seed to Cloth

There is a lot to love about linen, other than its beautiful look and hand. It’s one of the strongest fibers, quick drying, and naturally anti-microbial, making it one of the best fibers for towels, bedding and upholstery.  Sheets made from linen are more durable than cotton and anti-allergic.  Linen’s breathability keeps you cooler and dryer and its anti-static properties benefit people with skin sensitivities.  The best linen comes from Northern Europe, where the climate is ideal for growing long fibers. And  Libeco, in Belgium, grows and processes the linen sustainably, using nothing other than nature’s rainwater to grow the flax, and process the fibers into some of the best quality linen textiles in the world.

I was out with my brother buying another linen dish towel that I didn’t need when he suggested I learn to make linen.  I knew nothing about the process of making linen, but I did know that the best linen comes from Northern Europe, so started to look for a course.  After some research, I discovered a resident course taught in English (my Flemish is worse than my Mandarin), by Susie Gillespie.  Susie makes stunning works of art from linen she derives from flax grown on her farm in Devon, England.  In her Seed to Cloth class, we experience the entire process of making linen, scutching it free from the shive, combing, spinning, dying and weaving our own sample during a soul enriching week.    

Catching the bug, I’m now attempting to grow and harvest my own linen for weaving on the deck of my apartment.  The yield is small, but perhaps after a couple of years, I’ll have just enough for an embellishment or throw pillow.