Regarding the thread, I am also interested in this topic. I have heard a few theories surrounding why we don't have it anymore. The first was that the fields were bombed by the Germans in WWI, and the strain of plant destroyed. This didn't make sense to me because we stopped seeing the fine threads very much a good century before WWI. The French Revolution makes more sense time wise.
However, it seems hard to believe that we could not cultivate this flax if we wanted to. I am eager to here what your agricultural searches turn up. During the tour in Belgium we visited the flax museum as well as the topic coming up later in the week. I forget who it was that said this, but they proposed it was more of a supply and demand issue. We began seeing courser threads about the time machines were invented. People began trying to compete with machines by making heavier and/or less detailed lace. They suggested the demand for such fines thread went away, so were no longer a viable money making endeavor for thread manufacturers. I found this to be a very interesting theory. Perhaps when we are finished with this topic we should create a list of urban lace legends regarding thread. Also, I tried to change the topic, but my email program will not allow me to. Maybe someone else can? Kim - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
