Linen has a fairly involved process... First it is retted...that is, soaked in water for a long time to let the fibers separate from the other plant matter...then the fibers are heckled, (brushed apart with a special comb), then spun... A bleacher of cotton is what it says... A draper is a cloth merchant. So a linen draper specialized in linen cloth. A tailor makes clothes, especially men's clothes. It's not impossible that a cloth dealer would do tailoring, but they are not interchangable terms. Sue morgana@ghg.net Patricia Gregg wrote: > > Flax weaving - 1718 Boston to Casco Bay, ME to Londonderry NH > > I know that it was this group of emigrants that introduced linen weaving > to New England. It soon became popular with the ladies in Boston. What I > do not understand it the process itself. Starting with the growing the > flax, right up to the gorgeous material. Can anyone help me understand > the process. How is it done? > > What is a bleacher of cotton, a linen draper, a tailor. Are they the > same? > > Pat Gregg > PS please post any info on the list for all to participate. > > ==== CLANS Mailing List ==== > CLANS-L Homepage: > http://www.geocities.com/~brooms/scotclans