Flax Processing by Hand

This flax has been retted. It was soaked in a wading pool for three or four weeks. Then dried for another two weeks on a rack in the garage. This meat tenderizer works okay but I'd like to have some more heavy duty tool for breaking up the pith.


I'm saving the seeds.


A lot of the pith has broken away and I'm pounding it some more.

This is one of the above four bundles that has been combed. I used a wool comb but a flax hackle would be faster.

Sunflowers

Flax retting in the field.

Hand spun singles Mohair. Top to bottom: Japanese Indigo 1st vat (3 skeins), Dahlia & Marigold Flowers over final dip Japanese Indigo (2 skeins), Japanese Indigo 3rd vat (1 skein), Japanese Indigo third vat over Dahlia Flowers (1 skein).


Recycled yarn from thrift store. Left to right: Japanese Indigo 1st vat, Japanese Indigo 3rd vat, Dahlia Flowers, Peppergrass whole plant, Eucalyptus Leaves.


Millspun Merino left to right: Japanese Indigo 1st vat, Dahlia & Marigold Flowers, Dahlia Flowers, Perrergrass whole plant.

Indigo Works! From plant to yarn.