Flax Paddle, circa 1800
Title
Flax Paddle, circa 1800
Description
Flax paddles were used for scutching, part of the process for 'dressing' flax, or getting it prepped for spinning. The paddles separated the hard stocks from the useable fiber underneath. It took 4 months to grow flax from seed. It was beaten with the paddle until fibers could be pulled by hand through a hatchel to separate the fibers, which were then bundled and hung for drying to prepare them for spinning. Flax is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. It was an important crop during the colonial and early frontier era. Until the invention of the cotton gin, flax was easier to harvest and process. In Kentucky, it was commonly used in handwoven household linens. Historians estimate that families needed about ¼ to ½ acre of flax per person in a household.
Source
1956.7.2, Museum Collection, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Kentucky
Date
Format
Type
Identifier
1956.7.2
Collection
Citation
“Flax Paddle, circa 1800,” The Filson Historical Society Digital Projects, accessed April 19, 2024, https://filsonhistorical.omeka.net/items/show/5824.