Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Cleaning Day!

Aren't you glad it is not "Friday." Aren't you glad we don't have to scrub floors either? When I was a child my parents owned a house that had some kind of tile floor that needed scrubbing. Guess who got to do the scrubbing? And as a child that floor seemed like a mile long. I used some kind of bar soap, the scrub brush, and water to get old wax off the tiles. When that was done my mom would put the liquid wax on the tile. It was beautiful afterward but I sure did not like it when my mom told me it was time to scrub those floors. (pattern from Embroidery Companion)

Butter pats, Scotch hands, butter paddles, beaters, clappers, and spades are some of the names for these wood paddles I found at a flea market. Some of you knew exactly what they were and that made my search easy after that. Here is what one of my readers said about using the paddles:Cut a cube of butter - put it between the paddles and move the paddles in such a way as to make a ball out of the butter, the same way you would make a meatball between the palms of your hands.
I found an interesting web site that has more information if you would like to check it out. It is called Old and Interesting. It has the history of domestic paraphernalia. I think it is fascinating.

After I found out what the paddles were for and how old they could be I wasn't so sure I wanted to mount anything on them but Debbie of Woolen Sails has a suggestion that you might like to try too.
Use cotton fabric on the back of your punched piece for a backing and then get double side rug tape. You can stick it on and have fun displaying it, but take it off if you want to do something else with the paddles. She said that she learned the hard way not to put the tape onto the punched piece without a back, it pulls the loops out.

I am still learning something new every day. Thanks for helping me with the paddles. Thanks to a reader for the information on how to use the paddles. Thanks to Debbie for her great suggestion.

With Passion,
Carrie P.

21 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, I still clean my floors this way. My cockatoo licks the floor so I want to make sure it's really clean. I just use hot water and a rag. The things we do for our pets!

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  2. The stitchery looks cute with the hexi's on the bottom. What a neat idea for the paddles. I have several needlepunch things I've done and don't know what to do with them, now I know.

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  3. I remember my mom scrubbing then waxing our floors. Lucky me somehow got out of doing it. I did get in trouble once when I carelessly walked across a freshly waxed, but not quite dry, floor.

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  4. Mystery of paddles solved. Interesting ideas.

    Hugs - Marie

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  5. Not a fun childhood task! But the towel so sweet with those hexagons! I have some very old wooded Japanese molds somewhere in a box. Makes me want to find them.

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  6. I prefer my Swifter mop to scrub my floors over getting on my hands and knees with a bucket of suds and brush!! lol

    Quiltingly Yours
    Andrea

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  7. I took knew exactly what those paddles were for...I help my grandma milk cows and take the cream and make butter!

    Lovely little towel, I like the hexies on it!

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  8. Carrie - I want to know if you tried making butter balls with them????? :-)

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  9. Love that piece with the hexagons. I love doing hexagons and it is fun to design with them.

    Debbie

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  10. I remember cleaning my floor on my hands and knees - it was the only way I felt it got really clean. Now I can't get down there AND get back up, lol! Those butter pats are very interesting, good for Debbie on an excellent suggestion for you!

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  11. I remember that's how the floors were doine in those days. Thank goodness for progress but I have done it when it's needed. I love the tea towel and the butter pats. I hope Mr Applique had a wonderful birthday.

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  12. I have one of those floors in my house but I have quit waxing it. It can look dull until I tear it up and put in laminate!!

    Crispy

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  13. What a cute embroidery...certainly brings back memories for me too. Fortunately, I enjoy cleaning and organizing and spend half my life (it seams) doing just that.

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  14. My friend still gets down on her knees to scrub floors. Not me!

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  15. Happy Belated Birthday, Carrie. May the Lord bless you with another wonderful year.

    I soooo enjoyed your butter paddle post. Love reading about domestic tools from the bygone. :)

    Your stitchery looks great too. Always love seeing what you are up to with your quilts/stitching.

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  16. Do I ever remember those old linoleum floors! They are one of those old things that really make you appreciate modern conveniences like no-wax vinyl for sure! Darling tea towel and how wonderful to have gotten all the information on your butter paddles!
    Cheers!

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  17. I don't like scrubbing my floors, thanks for sharing this information:)

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  18. Carrie, I couldn't comment on your above post, but I needed to catch up on what all you've been working on. Love the towels and had no idea the paddles were butter pats. I wouldn't mind working on a old farm for 1 day maybe, just to give me a wake-up call. Have a great time getting everything done and on your list and a belated Happy Birthday.

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  19. I am very fortunate in that my husband cleans all of our floors. Yay! Your tea towel is so cute! I love the little hexies on there. You've been on an embroidery frenzy lately. :)

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  20. Reading the header of this post and scrolling to the 'scrubbing' picture, I really had to laugh. Love it! Says it all!

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  21. PS: have fun teaching your Sweet Treat Bag! Wish I could be there.

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So glad you have come by for a visit.