Irish Linen Documentary - Farming flax in Ireland
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2020
- In this Irish linen documentary we show the growing of flax and the making of Irish linen. This film originally called "Lint & Linen" re-creates the flax harvest of the 1950's in the North of Ireland. We follow a team of local men who plant a field of flax as their fathers would have done a generation before. The flax is then pulled and retted to separate the linen fibre. This material is then taken to the scutcher where it is processed enabling it to be spun into yarn. We cover the final processes and at the end we show a piece of Irish Linen woven from the field of flax. Please check out our channel to see more traditional crafts of Ireland.
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Produced by Thompson Video Productions Co. Derry Northern Ireland.
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Amazing skills.
Who knows, the way the world is going we will probably need all these kinds of skills again soon
I have an Irish table cloth inherited from my grandmother who received it as a wedding present more than 80 years ago. I have always treasured it but knowing the work that goes into production, I can only stand in awe, you deserve your wonderful reputation. Thank you
As a kid oh, I remember my mum having several linen kitchen towels she had received as a wedding gift during the 1940s. After 50 years oh, they were still magnificent. They had a shine that was like woven silver.
These delightful videos are truly eye-opening. As an Ulsterman, I was well aware of the the flax, linen, hemp, rope and, of course, shipbuilding industries being the whole life-blood in Northern Ireland's history, but I had no idea of the labour-intensive processes in the production of flax and linen. I enjoyed every minute this well-documented video, so full credit to the makers all along the line. A wonderful and enlightening series. Well done to all.
Thanks Charles, the comment is much appreciated.. Chris
@@VideosofIrishFarmingLife You're very welcome Chris. Although I'm an ex-pat, I enjoy the history of my homeland. I used to live a mile or so from the shipyard, knew it well, and have worked as a ropemaker in Belfast Ropeworks - both now sadly gone, as is the general linen industry. Perhaps you may one day do a presentation of the rope-making in the Province. I do hope so!
My great- great grandmother was a domestic servant in Sweden before she married. Her contract granted her use of land for a potato strip and a plot to grow flax for a dress. Im thinking about growing a little patch in her honor. Great video. Many thanks.
What a great idea!
Did you get to sew some flax? X
Boy, do I ever have a new appreciation for linen. I had no idea about what went into making it from field to store. No wonder it's so valuable. Impressive is a major understatement. Beautiful presentation.
As someone who had ancestors working in this industry in the 19th century this is fascinating so weather dependant
Thank you Hazel
Absolutely wonderful video. I will look for this linen the next time I purchase. We as consumers, need to keep this industry alive.
Flax, from preparing the field to fine Irish linen. Being a certified Irishman, I had no idea of the utility and value of flax and the effort that is contributed by many...now I have a better understanding of both. I just subscribed to Irish Farming Videos. Slainte.
Watching the whole process makes you wonder at the ingenuity of our ancestors, who came up with it and how.. I love getting a notification of a new video, God bless you kindly. This takes you back.
Excellent! This video will forever tell the story of linen--- Irish linen. :)
Absolutely mesmerizing. I was so intrigued, I could not turn away. I had always wondered how linen was produced, and now I know. This was more than a documentary, it was an historical and personal story of a country, a town, farmers and neighbors, and a nearly lost art. God bless all, and may His almighty hand guide those who endeavor to carry on this masterpiece of a tapestry He has woven together.
Are you a linenite?! I just recently found out about all the healing properties of Lennon and benefits of it and now I definitely want to grow my own and make my own clothes like directly from the ground for my family thank you so much for these videos
Is there anything more wonderful than Irish linen? I think not. This is fascinating. Thank you
Irish wool. :)
Yes Dutch and Belgian linen. They were the highest quality available in the world.
I adore my "Belfast Irish Linen" cross stitch fabric. So I looked this video up.
A wonderful insight to the process, from seed to linen product. Marvellous. Thankyou Sir.
TY for the comment, glad you liked it..
I love these videos thanks for making them
Your welcome, thanks for commenting!
As a Fashion student this whole process of creating linen with flax is so fascinating and new to me. We had a workshop with a lady that showed us how to make fibre from dried flax that they grew locally. My attpemt on creating fibre looked exactly like blonde hair and also very soft to touch. I hope to see Textile industry redevelop in the future using Slow Fashion like this in Britian.
Magnificent!
I can only wear natural fibres and my table napkins are linen.
What an astounding number of skills in the twenty-eight processes!
My tanks to you all!
Ps now in 2022, I wonder how many of these sjkill sets continue in place.
Amazing process to grow all those plants for threads and cloth. Great video.
Boy, endless respect for how hard our ancestors worked just to get the basics for living
I grew up on a small farm in the middle of germany and got the taste of it until i was 17....
young folks today hardly can imagine.....
Thanks a lot for showing the entire length of this highly impressive process!
I love Irish linen! Have a few pieces still looking beautiful! ❤ thank goodness natural fibres are becoming “trendy” again!
This was very insightful. I really appreciated the time taken to say the names of the farmers who were involved
Most enjoyable and informative. I love linen. I have linen cloths, tablecloths, sheets, pillowcases you name it. It’s lovely stuff.
WOW just amazing how a grass turns into a fabric with such properties , no wonder it is so expensive, what a beautiful fabric, i am going to go out tomorrow and buy a linen tablecloth for my kitchen table !!!! i just love these "how its made video's" keep up the good work and keep these video's coming, thank you ..
Love all the old ways, so much pride and care went in to making the product. Not like todays items.
So happy to see another video pop up. Really makes me appreciate my linen clothing even more!
Now I know why linen was so expensive! Such a lot of work!
Lucky to have Irish linen table cloth and napkins.
Now i know where '' Hit ye a scutch round the ear' comes from.
Excellent informative video!
Thanks for the comment
Thank you for keeping history alive! Love the way these films are done. Not too technical yet detailed enough to keep it interesting and informative.👍
I found a lead spindle whirl here in New Brunswick Canada now I understand why it is so important. Thank you for sharing your video👋
Wonderful! And reminds me of working with Peter Slevin, thatching roofs at Plimoth in the mid 70s He was from Donegal ❤️
Very interesting, didn't realise how much hard work went into the making of linen
Wow that's amazing. All that hard work for a tablecloth. I love Irish linen. Now I know why it's so expensive. Thank you for showing the whole process. It will make me appreciate it more.
Thanks so much 😊
Lovely to see your video!
thank you for this history. Loved it.
My G G Grandfather was a flax farmer in N Ireland in 1812.
Never knew where linen came from so interesting!
17:30 "No woman would come near me for two weeks."
Jack Larkin, 1950's Irish Flax Farmer, on emptying a lint dam of retted flax
Love these videos, thanks.
Fantastic videos you have here and this is no exception ! Thank you.
Good work.Thank you.
30:45 The fibres coming out of the machine flat are beautiful!
Stunning . Thanks for sharing, Pat nz
Oh how many untold unseen unnoticed things we have lost, given away in exchange for trinkets and trash. No better than the Indians we laughed at, we traded smoke for the trees.
Brilliant! Thank you.
Man, incredible
Happy farming.❤
Could you do a video on the Irish chairs, I think they are called Sugan, woven seat chairs, please?
Excellent, thank you so much.
I inherited some real Irish flax linen tea towels and table cloths from my mother. They are so superior to any other fabric , including cotton ,when it comes to absorbency and drying speed. Hats off to those ancestors who discovered it.
Fascinating
Wow! 40 miles of fibre!
Thanks Lisa
Absolutely fascinating. Thanku.
Fab video ❤
Greetings from co limerick.thank you for this lovely video.
“The use of any chemical agents was punishable by death”. Now that’s organic. These are my kind of people 😀
Organic indeed!
One of my Great grandfathers in Southwest Donegal, in the late 1700' s was provided a spinning wheel by the government for growing flax as was then incentive then. This Government record was invaluable in tracing our Irish roots. The record is available online free from the National Library of Ireland and other sources.
The factory in my village went away aswell as the jobs it's a shame
Now maybe people will understand why it can be so expensive. Beautiful things take time.
The last Spinning frames shown in the video where an early version of the "Linmack" built by James Mackie & Sons in the mid 80,s if my memory is correct . I think they may be running now in Egypt. I know because I had a hand in building them in MACKIES. 😆 Which is probably why there is about twenty lovely ladies trying to keep the "ends" up.😂
Great video, enjoyed it 👍
Thank you
Thank you for this fascinating insight into my great grandfathers life. He was a flax dresser in Belfast in the late 19th century.
Wow, thanks for sharing this cid, so fascinating. The process is so labour intensive. What year was the footage taken in?
You care about this product, I have a lot
so how can Belgium grow flax profitably...
Are there many of the flax pulling machines around in Northern Ireland? We are going to grow flax in Northumberland next year and would really like to find a puller.
Hi Dominic, If you can get my email from the contact page drop us an email and we will see if we can help, Cheers, Chris
@@VideosofIrishFarmingLife I sent an email to the address on the contact page. It may have gone to your junk file.
The Irish summer that John Doe.
Oh, to be back to the days of Fine Irish Linen. Enough of the poly-blends!!! Bless ye all
This was the pallet and plastic bags of the day. Everything needed bags and sacks. Much as today. Although maybe that was flax.
8:30 Thanks!
Great information, and thanks for sharing!!
I have a question, if you don't mind me asking.. I have a vintage shell razor strop, and it has a flax linen component, how can I safely whiten it and clean it without damaging the fibers? It's roughly 90-100 years old, and it has turned yellow, but it isn't rotten or damaged, it just has a bout 90 years of grime in it.. I have heard some recommendations of using vinegar and baking soda and pouring it on the linen to whiten, and I have also heard of using ammonia.. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, because I just received the stop and it's to dirty to use my razor on, but I have tried pure flax linen before and it really makes a keen razor prior to the leather.. Thanks again!!
This was absolutely fascinating. When they were 'rhetting (?)' the bundles, I was wondering why they wouldn't put large sheets of plywood on top, then put the stones on that. Does anyone know why that is not done?
Hi there, very impressive. I want to try having a crop of fibre flax this year. As it won't be that big for the beginning, I am looking for ways to sow. What is the tool you use for that purpose?
36:46 Ah the good auld days
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Table clothes seem like a waste but I'm sure lots of folk love to use them.
Is there any process as labor intensive as the production of linen from start to finish ?
Is it self seeding?
About to grow flax in Louisiana any thoughts on growing seasons for tropical climate zone 9?
Thats great to hear.. I dont know enough about the plant apart from its suited to the climate here in Ireland and does well in the Netherlands also. Its been grown for linen for thousands of years so must have endured many climates. Please keep me updated on your progress.. All the best from Ireland. Chris
Flax used to be grown in the coastal areas of Texas. They sowed it in October!
20:42 almost made me shit myself
I never understood the insistence on pulling the flax, you only loose 2-3" of fiber by cutting (because much of the roots are broken off in the ground when you pull it), and it is substantially faster/easier than pulling. Plus leaving the roots in the ground helps hold the soil in place. A simple ground driven sickle-bar mower with a team of 5-6 binders, or a tractor powered reaper-binder (like would be used for small-grain harvesting) would be more time/labor efficient. You'd have the whole 2-2.5 acres stacked for rhetting in a day, rather than weeks of back-breaking labor.
Seems the flax is pretty easy to pull from the ground with only shallow roots. By automated cutting, you might end up just pulling it out by accident anyway.
What if......you did your ground preparation after the potato harvest, sowed the flax seed, cover with a light mulch and straw and waited for the spring. That might cut down your work and waiting time in the Spring and Harvest, should it rain.
😎😎😎😎😎👍
No linseed harvest?
Here In India we use jute
All I can think of is the other use of the word scutchin...was what they used as a term for off kissing or getting into trouble lol
The finished product is incredible but the labour employed in the mills were underpaid and treated as slaves.
My mother and father met in Jennymount Mill in Belfast and both hated the conditions and treatment.
C'est la vie.
Flax is string
Arround 25:00 or so.....that looks horrifying in terms of modern safetyrules at work.....one only gets two hands in a lifetime
The Magnificent Adam-man
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Cush (Greek: Ethiopia), means sun-burnt
Phoenicians described by the Greeks, as fair-haired, fair-skinned people
Persia means Lord of the Aryans now renamed IRAN
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12 Tribes passed through the Caucasus Mountains
(i)ssac's Sons / Saxons / Anglo-Saxons / Europe / Australia / New Zealand / North America / First World
I fucking love flax! I mean really boys, job well done 👍
Hell yeah!