It’s high summer, shouldn’t we best talk about linen?
I am fascinated by this fabric, in part because in my yard I have small blue flowers nodding on their delicate stalks—flax. It is hard for me to imagine the process by which sturdy linen is made from the flax plant, and how it ever got created in the first place. Do click on the flax link below for more information on this very useful plant.
A field of flax in bloom. Photo by Nick O'Doherty via Wikimedia Commons
Linen
Both a fabric and a fiber, linen is one of the oldest of textiles, with examples dating from many thousands of years B.C.E.
The fabric is made of the fibers of the flax plant, and because of the natural variations in the fibers, characteristic slubs occur in both warp and weft. It is of a balancedplain weave. Linen is coveted for its absorbency, strength even when wet, being lint-free and quick-drying. It is famous for its use in making garments worn in hot climates. The name linen is derived from linon, the Greek word for the flax plant, and linum, the Roman word.
Bedding and table coverings can be called linens, no matter what their fabric.
Uses: Suits, slacks, skirts, dresses, tablecloths, dish towels
See also: Butcher cloth, Butcher linen, Handkerchief linen
Two examples of linen
©Vintage Fashion Guild - Text by Margaret Wilds/denisebrain, photos by Hoyt Carter
