A short story of a long project
When I declared to my guy Jim that I wanted to grow flax and make linen textiles, he said, “Well if you do that, I want you to make me a linen suit.” I told him if he got one, it would have short legs and no arms. Eight years later, Jim finally got his linen vest: an indigo-dyed linen denim. He’s waiting on the shorts.
The learning curve for this project was steep and long. It’s easy enough to grow flax. It’s harder to grow good flax and to extract its glossy fibres. And then, learning to spin those fibres into uniform yarn that can withstand the weaving process without shredding, snapping and snagging took a few years of practice and hours of “seat time” at the spinning wheel. Long gone are the days when the knowledge to do this was within arm’s reach and held within the culture of families and communities. So, I resorted to learning from books. Most of our tools had to be made from scratch, and Jim and I learned lots through trial and error.
Fast forward to 2024 when I finally had enough suitable yarn to dye and weave into a classic denim twill. My intention was to make a cargo vest Jim could wear while working our small acreage in Comox. It didn’t take long to weave the 2.5 yards of fabric, and I finally was able to complete the vest in spring, 2025. Jim loves it. It’s strong, practical and comfy, and it’s a testament to the skills of our ancestors who used to make the textiles and cordage necessary to run a home, all from local resources. I am really proud to be learning about the remarkable qualities and fascinating history of flax. I continue to be amazed that it’s all just so “do-able” here in Comox, and that a small plot of about 300 sq ft can yield over 25 lbs of fibre…more than enough for me. The pinch point is the spinning, though, so if Jim wants those shorts, it’s going to take another winter.
Karla Sandwith, Comox
Thanks to the Flax-to-Linen group in Victoria, and the many people who I’ve met along the way who share my passion for flax.