Party On!
Any party is better with accordion music, don't you think?
This photo of a scutching party is from the early 20th century and was taken in a village somewhere in eastern Europe.
(Click for bigness.)
flax linen hackel hackle scutch break hetchel hatchel spin flax
That is quite possibly the coolest party I've ever seen. I'm quite taken with Mr. Washboard Scepter, for sure...
Posted by: KathyB | February 25, 2008 at 09:59 PM
I'm going to have to check and see if scutching (or retting) are in the dictionary we use for Scrabble. Because? My husband will *never* see it coming...
Posted by: RobinH | February 05, 2008 at 07:06 AM
I'm going to have to check and see if scutching (or retting) are in the dictionary we use for Scrabble. Because? My husband will *never* see it coming...
Posted by: RobinH | February 05, 2008 at 07:06 AM
Hey Marcy, your blog always makes my day. You've been given a blog award. Check out my blog to see it.
Posted by: janel | February 03, 2008 at 12:54 AM
Great image. Could be my husband's Lithuanian ancestors for all we know.
Love the freshly thatched roof. One bowl of soup for three women. Hope no one had a cold...
Mama on the right has serious droopage. Wow. But that cutie just behind her feeding flax into the thingie is definitely easy on the eyes.
Posted by: Diane H K | February 02, 2008 at 06:08 PM
Hi Marci - stop by my blog. I have something for you to pick up.
Posted by: Sharon | February 01, 2008 at 01:25 AM
Hi Marcy............congrats I have also just awarded you the Make My Day award.Check out my blog.
Posted by: Cindy D | January 30, 2008 at 03:56 PM
The woman on the right is smiling because she gets to spin while everyone else scutches.
Posted by: Lucia | January 30, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Whatever scutching is, it looks like fun.
Posted by: Laurie | January 29, 2008 at 05:43 PM
The accordion player is quite the gay blade - see his stripped socks? Wonder if he knit them himself.
Posted by: Barbara-Kay | January 29, 2008 at 04:44 AM
Marcy, I think AA and Steph need to see that one! Maybe if you send it as an attachment they can get it to load? Never know what their limited bandwidth will allow.
Posted by: Sylvia | January 28, 2008 at 02:57 PM
Mmmm, hunky dudes. Hard to tell with the girls and their babuskaas. Based on my Easter European ancestors anything is a reason for a party. Or as grandma would say "I don't need an excuse to show off my cooking"
Posted by: Laura in ALameda | January 27, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Just proves that almost any occasion is occasion enough for a party. And a good one, by the looks of some of those folk. Oh yes, and if Cheryl is going to serenade us, I do want an invitation.
Posted by: Judy | January 27, 2008 at 08:52 PM
"odd though like everyone was gathered up in the middle of their work to be photographed." yes, probably an itinerant photographer passing through. that's how it was done in the day when every household did not have a Brownie.
Posted by: naomi dagen bloom | January 27, 2008 at 08:15 PM
Because we all associate accordion music with scutching, right?
Posted by: Danielle | January 27, 2008 at 02:06 PM
Why is everyone warmly dressed except for the lass sitting in front? Obviously a great party, though!
Posted by: Carla | January 26, 2008 at 12:24 PM
There's a handsome fellow in a cap at the right, that you probably won't see unless you enlarge the photo! FWIW, I had to Google "flax scutching" to find a Pittsburgh newspaper article that explained what is going on.
Posted by: Lynne E. | January 26, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Scrutching - see http://www.textilelinks.com/author/rb/blterms.html#letters for a brief definition.
Posted by: Amanda | January 25, 2008 at 06:57 PM
Okay... apparently everyone but ME knows what a scutching party is! Enlighten me- and hand me that hunk in the sweater on the right in the back!
Posted by: Carrie | January 25, 2008 at 05:58 PM
They may have posed, but the wheel is in motion! Great picture - thanks!
Posted by: SaltCitySpinner | January 25, 2008 at 03:44 PM
Love it! I was just reading the other day, about a scutching gathering in Holland...it even documented what they ate, and how they prepared it! Sounds like they were fun!
(Is that woman in the center enjoying a bowl of soup?)
Posted by: cyndy | January 25, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Certainly cheerier than some of the spinners you've featured in the past.
Posted by: LaurieM | January 25, 2008 at 01:12 PM
If you have a scutching party I'd be happy to come along and play the accordion for it. I've been known to play a little squeezebox once and a while.
Posted by: Cheryl | January 25, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Remember, accordions don't play Lady of Spain, people play Lady of Spain.
I'd crash that party. That one guy is clearly having a great time.
Posted by: Beth S. | January 25, 2008 at 11:50 AM
That accordion comment gave me a good laugh!
Posted by: Andrea (noricum) | January 25, 2008 at 11:35 AM