Flax Linen Spinning Fiber Mixed Media

Flax is one of the oldest types of flax fiber to be spun into cloth, its origins dating to 10,000 BC and even earlier. The Egyptians wrapped the bodies of their deceased with linen fabric made from flax fiber. In climates too cold for cotton growing, the flax plant can thrive on some pretty rugged growing conditions even with poor soil nutrients. While mostly thought of by modern Western cultures as a food product for its seed and oil, many are unaware that flax produces another useful product — flax fiber. Long strands of flax fiber are hidden within its stem, which through a little bit of magic (chemistry) and a bit of work (spinning), can be transformed into flax fabric. It can be used by itself to create linen yarn or carded with any other wool for a textural effect for spinning and felting. Flax fiber becomes softer with use, making it excellent for handspun flax fabric. Today most flax fabric is produced in Eastern Europe. Environmentally, flax fabric is a good choice in textile