Flax Processing and Spinning Workshops

in our studio at Stroud or group workshops at your location.

Book workshops on store page 2024 dates so far

Flax Processing /7th May /19th June / 11th July Flax Spinning on / 8th May / 20th June / 12th July

adding further dates throughout the year please contact us for more information

Workshops in at flaxland Stroud see bottom of page for travelling and large groups

Flaxland Workshops - Based in the Cotswolds Stroud is know as a textile town, our purpose built studio is adjacent to the River Frome amongst the former woollen mills we are easily accessed from all parts of the country and there is a great rail service out of Paddington to Stroud where one can either walk along the towpath by the canal or take a quick taxi to flaxland or on site parking for those arriving by car . We can often arrange to run workshops a little later in the day (particularly if a group are coming by rail) to make use of the more favourable train ticket prices after 9.00am!
We recommend bringing gardening type clothing and warm clothes in winter as some of the activities are in an open shed. There is a low level of dust involved in converting flax into line and we supply masks and goggles if requested.

Discover Britain's Forgotten Crop at Flaxland Stroud

- one day growing processing course.

Our base course and most popular, with lots of hands on activity, is an introduction to the flax, its history, uses and future. You will learn how to grow, ret and process flax into yarn ready for weaving, knitting, crochet, twine or rope making.

Using hand tools learning the art of breaking, scutching and hackling flax, dressing a distaff with long fibres. Introduction to spinning on a drop spindle. Using shorter fibres to create twine. The uses of flax seed. In season trip to flax fields.

The course is ideal for those wanting to grow flax in their own gardens as well as individuals or groups seeking to set up fibre based projects of their own. Processing hemp and nettles are worked in the same way. 10.00 am - 4 pm group size 1-5 - larger groups please contact to discuss. £75 per person inc materials. Tea and coffee supplied, please bring your own lunch local food is available.

Program

Arrive 9.45 for 10 am start introduction about flaxland.

Fibre twisting from distaff

History of flax growing, future of linen in the UK

Dual use of flax for seed and fibre (linseed/flax comparisons)

Growing, sowing, care of harvest and retting a crop.

Coffee Break

Processing flax by hand on bench and outside with

traditional tools.

Breaking, scutching, hackling

Lunch

Preparing longline and short fibres fibres to spinning dressing distaff for spinning.

Hackling dutch scutched flax for longline and tow making flax sliver.

Introduction to methods of use of drop spindle or wheel.

Making a thick twine.

4.00 ends .

Note: craft, light activity handling dried straw,

Some dust when scutching and hackling - masks supplied if requested.

Flax Spinning at Flaxland one day course

This is intended for those who have been on the growing processing course or textile workers experienced with other textiles seeking further experience with flax. The aim of the course is that participants will become confident in flax spinning on a wheel.

You will learn final hackling for long line spinning, dressing a distaff, flax spinning on a treadle wheel, preparing flax tow and spinning. Identify twist direction, understand yarn count (thickness). £75 per person includes materials. We have five spinning wheels with low spinning ratios making learning easier or you can bring your own wheel. Practice with long-line imported dutch fibres.

Program 9.45 start at 10 am

Setting up spinning wheels first practice session twist direction.

Dress cone distaff more practice twist per inch.

Coffee

Understanding yarn thickness and further spinning sessions.

Hackling dutch scutched fibre for sliver sorting into short medium tow. How to spin tow. Short fibre flax wool blends.

Lunch

Afternoon

Spinning practice tuition, making sliver

Using sliver distaff.

4pm finish.

Combined 2 day growing processing spinning

Covering all aspects of flax growing, processing and spinning suits beginners or those wishing to gain more experience - a combination of the one day courses with the aim that you will go away able to use your own grown to spin long line flax fibres on a wheel. From 2021 we introduced and teach a method of

preparing home grown fibres into a continuous ribbon known as (sliver). Used in conjunction with our unique designed distaff this is helping our participants to spin with a wheel. By using a sliver with our “flaxland sliver distaff” makes spinning more efficient in terms of use of use of fibres, makes learning spinning much easier, produces a better thread in less time. The flaxland distaff is ideal for experienced spinners with home grown or using readily available imported long-line sliver.

£150

Travelling workshops for groups and community projects.

Group workshops at your venues for 10 to 20 people

We are now able to offer a one day travelling group workshop at your venue, this is ideal for community based projects, city farms,

spinning and weaving groups or schools and colleges.

Designed for beginners and those with some knowledge lots of hands on using your on crop or we can bring materials.

Typical day

Introductions - what is flax - its many uses - flax's multiple benefits to individuals and the planet - history and future of flax in the UK.

Demo how to sow, grow, harvest and ret flax. Workshop hands on sessions - harvesting the seeds, processing the straw, extracting fibres - breaking -scutching - hackling - make a twist of flax to take home or use. Dressing a distaff introduction to drop spindle to spin line, twisting tow (short fibres)

to make a garden twine.

Contact us for details and terms