The history of textiles and the tools used to produce textiles has always fascinated me. In addition to collecting and using my antique spinning wheels and weaving looms, I also have a collection of antique flax hetchels (also known as hatchels). These 200+ year old tools were used in the process of preparing flax so that it could be spun into linen.
I have always grown flax plants, but have not yet had the time to experiment with retting my own flax.
"In order for the flax to yield a fine fiber, the plants must be grown in close proximity to each other and harvested before fully mature. The seed bolls must be removed, and then the stalks retted or partially rotted to release the fibers from the woody core. Once retted there are several more steps to actually get the flax fibers to a state where they can be spun into yarn. The woody core and outer bark are cracked and scraped off during braking and scrutching. The fibers are separated by pulling handfuls through combs made of very sharp tines in hackling or hatcheling. The flax, one end of a bunch at a time, would be drawn through successively smaller tines of combs to separate the fibers. That which was left in the tines after combing was a very low grade of fiber called "tow." Tow could be spun into a very coarse yarn. After hackling the longer fibers are called line or strick. The fibers are then ready to be spun into yarn and woven. It is a labor intensive process that yields a most sought-after product." (Excerpt from "An Examination of the Linen Industry from Ancient Egypt to Pre-industrial America" by Marie Rabideau).
