REMEMBERING WHEN-Dad & the Barber Pole

BARBER POLE

aka old time bloodletters pole

When I was a little girl, my father was a barber.  We lived in the city, and during the late 60's,  I lived on a street that was chosen to be segregated to a different school district.  Well, it worked out great for me because my Dad's barber shop was in that area.  I rode to work every morning with Dad, and he dropped me off at school, and I walked to his shop every afternoon.  The memories I remember the most are of us playing lots of cards, eating hotdogs, and stopping off at the lake in the park to fish when it was time to go home.  I loved our bonding together.   He loves these poles, so I decided to make one.   I hope you like it! 

If you don't know what a blood letter pole is, well, let me tell you!   A barber way back before 1100 AD was also a surgeon and could cure many illnesses by blood letting which was literally draining your blood.  They also could pull your bad tooth, or pick the lice off your scalp!!!  The ball on top represents the bowl which collected the blood!   The original poles were nothing more than an old pole or banister the patient would grip while being treated, and then the pole would be put outside the shop where the barber would hang his bloody wraps, and the wind would whip them around giving them the barber pole look we are so familiar with today.  The poles slowing became decorative freestanding pillars like you see here, but by the 1890's they were outlawed right along with the cigar wooden indians because they were a safety hazard to the public.  Garbage dumps, rivers and fireplaces ate up these wooden goodies.  How sad. 

They say the red and white is for the bloodied and clean bandages.  Some poles have blue stripes.  These were added by patriotic citizens.  Others say the red is blood, white is bandages, and blue is veins.  Whatever it may be, I find the history of these poles fascinating, and if you ever come across one of these at a flea market, don't pass by it.  You could fetch anywhere from $1,000 to $12,000 for it!!!  Ahhhh, now I've got your attention!!!

Here's a closer look at the bottom with everything I added:

I used svg files from, of course my favorite place, SVG CUTS----

-The top ball is made from the TEA FOR TWO KIT, the teapot, using 14 solid pieces.

-5 small circles on top of 2 saucer plates from TEA FOR TWO KIT, after they were cut, I cut off  3 of the scored sections to get the shape, invert one and glue together.

-20 medium sized circles on top of light blue round cylinder from HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, top cake box,  with stars from HAUNTED HEMLOCK CARDS, (awesome cards, too), 10 medium sized circles, glue together, place 5 medium to small sized circles on bottom

-Put together 6 peppermint candy from CHRISTMAS COOKIE PARTY COLLECTION.  Take the file for the white layer into scal and add a 1/8" tab down one long side plus a small triangle tab on each end.    Cut out each piece with tab, glue on peppermint candy you made, then build your cylinder. (I doubled up on it like this for strength.  But, you can directly use the tab piece and glue the red on it and build from there if you prefer).   Once you have it together, Place a disk of 10 large circles to fit on each end.

-The next dark blue section is a round cylinder like the light blue one.  Make as before.  Add flourishes from the extra folder in ATTIC TREASURES.

-The next piece to make is the plate, minus two sections, glued on top of 20 medium circles.

-The bottom is from the ONE PIECES BOXES KIT, box 1.  Put something in the box to weigh it down before you glue it shut.  My box is 2" square when finished.  That gives you an idea as to how to judge the measurements for everything else.  I didn't put exact measurements.  As you put yours together, it's more what style you would like.  If you use a bigger square box for the bottom, of course your pole will be taller!  I would love to see that!!!

-The trim around the box is optional.  It was just 4 rectangles from scal library.  I trimmed at an angle to make them fit at the corners.

That's it!!

Now take all the components and stack them starting from the bottom working your way up, being careful to line correctly and straight.  Use a long ruler to help guide me.

My pole stands about 14 inches tall!

=The fishing rod is from SNOWMEN VILLAGE, fisherman, SVGCUTS

=The cards are from GREEN ROOM, poker file, SVGCUTS

=The fish is a free file,2012_4_14 , SVGCUTS

=The scissors is from SANTA'S NORTH POLE WORKSHOP, SVGCUTS

=The hotdog is made from HIPPITY HOPPITY, extras file, using egg1bottom and egg1top,SVGCUTS and using the shape tool in SCAL to change them a little

=The circles are from the Shapes Library in SCAL

HAPPY BLOODLETTING!!!  BAHAHAHHHH!!!!!!!