Lancaster Area Sewing Network (LASN) will present "Processing Flax" on Monday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. at Lancaster Friends Quaker Meeting, 110 Tulane Terrace, Lancaster.

Cloth, and the thread with which to sew it, all begin as fiber. Today's fabrics come from a wealth of fibers, many of which are synthetic, but before the 20th century, sewing thread and fabric were made of natural fibers and could even be homemade. Flax was the typical fiber Lancaster County families used to make their own sewing thread and cloth. Flax comes from a plant that was once a commonly grown crop in Pennsylvania.

During the upcoming presentation, Tina Mickley will discuss flax culture and retting and will demonstrate the processes of breaking, scutching and hackling flax fiber, along with how that fiber becomes linen thread and, finally, linen cloth and sewing thread.

Mickley, a spinner and weaver with a fine arts degree in painting, became interested in historic textiles and their production more than 45 years ago while working as a costumed interpreter at a national historic site. Since 2018 she has grown and processed her own flax, along with volunteering at area historic sites demonstrating spinning, weaving, and flax dressing. She is an independent contractor at the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, where she regularly interprets 18th- and 19th-century textile production. Mickley helped to develop and teaches the museum's Sheep to Fabric and Field to Fabric classes. She also collects antique spinning wheels and helped plan two Antique Spinning Wheel Symposiums in Pennsylvania.

Guests may register for the program on arrival. There is a fee for nonmembers, payable by cash or check only.

LASN's 2026 theme is "Sewing Revolution," with all monthly meetings touching on an aspect of the topic.

LASN is a group for people who love to sew. Its members range from beginners to intermediate hobbyists to professional dressmakers. The group's main focus is fitting and construction skills related primarily to garment sewing. It meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of most months, with Zoom meetings held during the winter. Retreats, service projects, and a fabric swap are optional activities. For more information, contact lancastersews@gmail.com.