Homegrown Flax and Cotton

Book excerpt: Grow your own sustainable clothes! From seed to shirt, Cindy Conner shows you how to plant, grow, harvest, process, spin, and weave cotton and flax into cloth from which you can sew your own clothes. And since cotton and flax are made from plants, when your clothes' usefulness has passed they can also return to the environment without causing harm--a truly renewable and sustainable option for clothing. Whether you live in colder climates where flax can thrive, or warmer climates where cotton does best, there is a sustainable option (or two, if you live in the temperate zone) for you. And it takes much less space than you would think; a backyard garden will do! This complete guide includes in-depth instructions on growing and harvesting, preparing the fiber for spinning, the spinning process for each fiber; the basics of weaving cloth; and suggestions on patterns and how to weave the pieces you need for clothing, and how to sew your woven pieces together. Cindy has been growing her own clothes for years and teaches the process in classes, so she includes all of her knowledge on potential pitfalls and how to avoid them in her thorough instructions on each phase. You can grow your own flax and cotton and make clothes to your own style preferences. It's time to take the next step in sustainable living and make your own clothes in breathable and comfortable natural cotton and flax grown in your own backyard!