This course is an introduction to the ancient textile fiber: flax; and the cloth made from it: linen. Students will explore all aspects of this traditional material, from seed selection, planting and cultivation, through harvesting, retting, hand processing, spinning, and weaving. We discuss flax’s place in traditional hand textile production, and examine its potential as a sustainable, local textile crop suitable for our northern climate. At the end of class, students will have their own handspun and handwoven linen to take home, along with textile flax seed, fiber, and a list of resources to continue their exploration. Some experience with spinning and weaving is helpful, but not a requirement.