Flax Processing

Have you ever wondered where linen comes from?  This workshop with Cavadelo Flax Garden will give you the opportunity to process your own linen fibre that you can take home and spin into linen yarn/thread.

Debra Bertrand and Louise Delorme of Cavadelo Flax Garden

We are two retired ladies with a dream. We started our flax-linen journey in the fall of 2019.  During the winter of 2020, we researched as much as we could. In the fall of 2020, we started to get serious on making our dream become a reality.  We prepared a 12ft X 12ft backyard garden. We sourced some flax seeds for early spring planting. Surprisingly there are a lot of people/groups who are growing flax and processing it by hand as it was done in the early 1800’s.  Though most people/groups are in the US or UK, there is a growing (pun intended) interest in Canada.  On April 24, 2021 we planted our first flax seeds; it was so exciting! And in the fall, we harvested and processed our first crop with hand tools made for us by the local Men’s Shed.  We have been planting, harvesting and processing for 5 years and in 2026 we are in our 6th year of production. Our main goal is to share our knowledge to anyone who is interested in this process.  We will continue with our garden while encouraging and nurturing more flax gardeners to embrace the benefits of flax growing and processing; and to pass along the shareable knowledge to future generations.

• Suitability: Absolute Beginners, Beginners, Intermediate, Experts
• Finish in Class: Yes
• Supply: $0
• Teacher provides: Flax processing equipment, flax stocks, weigh scales, and bags for processed fibre.
• Student to bring: Garden gloves, closed footwear. Dress for weather.