January 09, 2008
Ironing
I gave up ironing about ten years ago when Far Guy retired from the Military. Up until that time I would do the ironing twice a week. I would double starch his uniforms...that is a chore I gladly gave up. However it did relieve some of my frustrations with him over the years, If I was upset with him...I would just imagine him in his uniform as I ironed it.
I just don't use pillowcases or tablecloths that require ironing. The ironing board is stashed away behind the washer/dryer in the furnace room, if for some reason my sister in law Jan visits, I have to drag it out and dust it off before she uses it. Then there is the old iron, I think it might be an antique. It used to be a steam iron, it isn't steamy anymore...and at one time it had a short in the plug, so Far Guy replaced the plug with a much larger one and used a lot of electrical tape to insure that I was not electrocuted while ironing...he is very thoughtful!
I do not purchase clothing that needs ironing, Far Guy does not pay attention to types of fabric and has a thing for really wild cotton Summer shirts. I have learned that if I hang his shirts up when they are still a bit damp...they don't need to be ironed either...and if I overdry them, I just rewash and try again...those shirts are really clean.
I learned to iron when I was about ten seven years old. I used to love to help my Mother sprinkle clothing, roll it into a tube and put it into a plastic bag. If you didn't get to the ironing the next day it was placed in the freezer so the clothing would not mold. My Mother still has a pile of clothing waiting on the ironing board to be ironed...and she still irons...sometime I miss the smell of fresh laundry as it is being ironed...then I remember that I am liberated:)
*************
.jpg)
Photo taken in the kitchen of the farm house where I grew up.
I still have the hidden away ironing board should it be needed. My sister in law Jan died a few years back so no need to get it out for her anymore. I traded Jen an old rotary dial phone for a new iron and threw my old one in the garbage. When we packed up my Mother's apartment when she went into the Nursing Home she still had clothing on her ironing board to be ironed. I am still hanging up damp clothing to dry instead of ironing!
Far Side
I remember sprinkling clothes and ironing them. I never liked it and was glad when most things could come from the dryer and worn with no wrinkles. I still have my ironing board set up by my sewing machine. I use it when sewing.
ReplyDeletethis is the cutest picture!!! Oh my...what fond memories popped up in my mind while reading this. Especially the part of sprinkling the clothes, rolling them up and placing them in the freezer overnight. I've watched my mom do this many many times. I sure am thankful for the new materials these days that doesn't require ironing with each wash. My daughters use a steam iron. I don't have one, but I've watched them and those things work so nice. Our world has come a long way from way back when laundry was a huge chore...
ReplyDeleteI do not care for ironing either. Brad's all cotton show shirts are about the only thing that gets ironed at my house these days. He irons them to his satisfaction. Jeans come out pressed-looking when I hang them to dry outside. No creased jeans worn here. Works for me :)
ReplyDeleteWe grew up so much alike - I also learned to iron in elementary school. Mom started me out by ironing my dad's handkerchiefs. Looking back I wonder WHY anyone would need those ironed. Ick!!! My dad's uniform pants were stretched onto weird wire pant hangers and hung to dry - resulting in nice neat creases. I spent a lot of years ironing my husband's dress shirts and pants on the weekends. I really don't mind ironing but don't miss that weekly chore either. Now my ironing board is always busy with quilting things and gets used every day.
ReplyDeleteI did a fair amount of ironing as a young teen. Mom did laundry and baked bread on Monday. I liked ironing Dad's shirts, pillowcases, and tea towels. Everything was line dried so the heat of the iron brought out the fresh smell.
ReplyDeleteI don't iron these days. If things are wrinkled, I Todd them in the dryer with a damp towel. :)
Toss not Todd.
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute picture of you! I was about that age too and I'd iron pillow cases, grandpa's handkerchiefs and my doll clothes that I hung on the clothes line outside, when my mom would do her laundry. It was so much fun. My husband had to wear dress shirts for work but he took over ironing when I just happened to have too many wrinkles one day!
ReplyDeleteIt sure didn't bother me one bit.
It's hard to believe that we looked after our clothes like that.
ReplyDeleteI remember my Mom sprinkling clothes and rolling them up until the following day. She liked to iron on a folded blanket on the table. Even when my brother bought her an ironing board she didn't use it. I still iron on a folded towel on the counter in the laundry room. I don't mind ironing. It's such a mindless job.
ReplyDeleteI could have written these ironing memories myself. It was a sign of growing up when I was allowed to iron the pillowcases and napkins on ironing day. I do still have my ironing board and iron (left from my quilting days). Not one of my five children have an iron. On the rare occasion they need something pressed, they come to my house.
ReplyDelete