Learn traditional linen-making at Garfield Farm’s flax processing workshop

Posted June 09, 2026 12:21 am

By Jerome Johnson, Garfield Farm Museum

Following the spring lecture on the history of history and cultivation of flax, Garfield Farm Museum in Campton Hills welcomes the return of fiber artists and interpreters Tom and Joanne Blodgett for “Linen’s Journey – From Seed to Fabric (Part 2) ”on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to noon.

This hands-on flax processing workshop builds on the earlier presentation by guiding participants through the practical steps that transform flax into spinnable fiber.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn and observe the full sequence of flax fiber preparation, including rippling, breaking, scutching, and hackling. Active participation is limited to 15 people and requires pre-registration.

Once the limit is reached, additional visitors are welcome to observe the demonstrations, ask questions, and take part in discussion for a $20 donation.

Tom and Joanne Blodgett have taught spinning and weaving since 1981 and have raised and processed flax for more than 40 years. Their combined experience includes decades of historical interpretation and textile education, with both currently working as interpreters at Blackberry Farm in Aurora, Illinois.

Their depth of knowledge offers participants an opportunity to engage directly with traditional flax processing methods.

Learn the nearly forgotten art of linen-making at Garfield Farm Museum's workshop, where 40-year veterans will guide participants through rippling, breaking, scutching, and hackling flax plants into spinnable fiber using historical methods. Courtesy of t Garfield Farm Museum

This second program expands upon the themes introduced in the earlier lecture, connecting historic agricultural practices to present-day conversations about sustainability, self-reliance, and the future of natural fibers. The two program offers a comprehensive look at a nearly forgotten craft that once played an important role in Illinois agriculture.

There is a $40 donation for the workshop. Reservations are required for active participation. To observe only, there is a $20 donation. To register, call the museum at (630) 584-8485 or email info@garfieldfarm.org.

Garfield Farm Museum is located on Garfield Road, off Route 38, five miles west of Geneva. The 374-acre site is a historically intact former 1840s farm and teamster inn being restored as an 1840s working farm museum by volunteers and donors from around the country.

If you have questions, email info@garfieldfarm.org or call (630) 584-8485. Donations can be mailed to the museum at P.O. Box 403, LaFox, IL 60147 or go online to the website garfieldfarm.org and click on the “Donate” button.

Follow facebook.com/GarfieldFarmMuseum.