How much space is needed for flax

What is a reasonable size plot for growing flax? If I want to make say a pair of pants and top, how large of an area is needed in Michigan?

If we figure that 1 plant produces 1 inch of 0.025" yarn, that makes 40 threads per inch. Then it would take 160 plants to produce a square inch of fabric. My tunics are about 45" X 30" = 1350 square inches ==> 216,000 plants. At 70 plants per square foot, I'd estimate that I'd need to grow 3085 square feet (0.07 acre) to make a tunic to fit me.

Joseph's calculations translates into a square of about 56 ft X 56 ft. My friend did a patch last year, and now I'm wondering how it compares. I'm guessing it's close.
This is a good reminder of why most people used to own only a few changes of clothes before industrialization.

Thank you. This is great to know. It really makes one see what it took in times past.

Oh dear, this is a really tricky question.  I wish I had a simple answer for you.

A lot of it depends on how experienced you are at processing.  If you are just learning, you probably need four times as much flax as someone who has been processing for a few years.  Then there's the weather and the soil and the wind... Some years I can get two or three times the average amount of fibre out of a patch.  Sometimes, less than half.  Different patches around the farm produce vastly different amounts of fibre for the same amount of space and seed.

Generally, when we are starting out, the limiting factor is the seed.  Grow as much as you have seed.  Observe what it's like for you, in your growing conditions, your soil, your climate.  Save the seeds for next year and base your space on that.

If you want numbers, a 5x10 feet bed of flax usually gives enough for a pair of handwoven towels (on the West Coast of Canada).  Clothing would probably be spun quite a bit thinner, so it might be enough for a top.  

@Kim Hill - If you want to know a lot more practical stuff about fiber flax, there's a new book just out. You can find out more if you follow this link: https://permies.com/t/homegrown-linen
The author's got a great reputation here at permies dot com.

r ranson wrote:Oh dear, this is a really tricky question.  I wish I had a simple answer for you.

A lot of it depends on how experienced you are at processing.  If you are just learning, you probably need four times as much flax as someone who has been processing for a few years.  Then there's the weather and the soil and the wind... Some years I can get two or three times the average amount of fibre out of a patch.  Sometimes, less than half.  Different patches around the farm produce vastly different amounts of fibre for the same amount of space and seed.

Generally, when we are starting out, the limiting factor is the seed.  Grow as much as you have seed.  Observe what it's like for you, in your growing conditions, your soil, your climate.  Save the seeds for next year and base your space on that.

If you want numbers, a 5x10 feet bed of flax usually gives enough for a pair of handwoven towels (on the West Coast of Canada).  Clothing would probably be spun quite a bit thinner, so it might be enough for a top.  

Thank you for your reply. I hope to get your book when able