Hackling flax

Here we see the process of combing a flax strick through the hackles. I'm starting with the course hackle and you see me doing two passes on this hackle before I turn the strick around so I can comb the other end. You can see the tow fibers collecting in the tines.

Next I move to the medium size hackle and pull the strick through that one. After several passes I turn the strick around again to comb the other end. Notice the tow collect in this hackle as well. The last step would be to repeat the process in the finest hackle, visible to the right.

Line linen is spun from the long fibers left in the hand after hackling. Tow linen is spun from the fluffy fiber that is left behind in the hackle.