I have spun natural flax for many years. and it always is fuzzy and
coarse till it's wet spun and boiled with washing soda. After changing
the water 2 or 3 times it turns hard and shiny.
I have also seen industialy processed flax that seems to have been
treated and bleached before spining. It is soft right a way but the
fibers are cut to just a few inches long and not long or stonge as the
narural strick flax is. You may have gotten Tow flax, if it is both
very corse and fairly short fiber that is the outer fibers and left
overs whren the line flax is processed.
Is has become very hard to find any raw flax in the last few years.
both of the places I used to get it no longer have it.so I'm looking
for a new source. It seems very expensive but since it is much lighter
weight per fiber than any wools or cotton it goes a long wway.
Hallie in South east Fl.
