FLAX, FROM FOLKLORE TO TRADITION
Who would ever think that a grain could hold a special place in the hearts and minds of a people for thousands of years? Flax has been harvested in the Baltic region for that long now, and we can thank the area not only for the nutritious seed and oil but the plethora of natural linen products made from it. The time-honored tradition has been a staple in Lithuanian society and brought attention to the beautiful countryside and the ever-important agricultural workers.
Cultivation of flax is quite a lengthy process and requires more effort than most grains, but Lithuania boasts some of the best soil for its growth. The ancient process has traditionally been communal work. The men would harvest the flax stalks, pulling them up from the roots, and the women and girls would comb the strands. The flax is dried and seeds are removed. Then the straw is retted to separate the long, silky inner fibers from the woody part, dried again, scutched and combed again until the smooth, hair-like linen fibers remain.
Partly because it is so tough to cultivate, flax has become part of the nation’s folklore and traditions. It is valued for its strength, and thus many myths, fairy tales, games, and songs have been made up about the flax cultivation, harvest, and processing. In Lithuania there is even a patron of flax cultivation, named Vaižgantas, as well as Gabjauja, the guardian of the flax harvest.
“We have neglected the truth that a good farmer is a craftsman of the highest order, a kind of artist.”
Beyond the cultivation, harvest and processing, flax has remained a staple in Lithuanian lifestyle. Though it is not grown as widely across the nation as it was years ago, weaving linen from flax fibers remains a prominent craft in the Baltic region. In Lithuania, linen is used for handmade clothes and toys, tablecloths and towels, and to decorate spaces for everything from special events to everyday family dining. And for this reason (plus its long history) linen is still a prized souvenir to bring back from Lithuania. Style wise, Lithuanians prefer to showcase the purity of the fabric with simple designs and minimal embellishment, a testament to their authentic nature.
Throughout the world, we see linen widely used and valued for its lightness and overall relaxed feel as well as its ever-present strength, as the ancient Lithuanians could attest. And it maintains its popularity in the home, for we make everything from tablecloths and napkins to bed linens, pillows, aprons and clothing. It’s incredible to think so much labor could go into the creation of a material so light, soft, and versatile. And what a special craft it is!
