My daughter in love and son are in the process of simplifying their lives and in the process discovered one of my long forgotten travel accessories.
This was perfect for a fussy character like me who could not afford to pay pressing charges in hotels during overseas tours due to severe restrictions on foreign exchange allowed to us those days. Drip dry shirts and polyester blend suits made it easy for washing and ironing one’s own clothes.
Much before that, during my school days, I had got into the habit of ironing my clothes and that habit has continues till today. I still iron my clothes and enjoy wearing crisply ironed ones every time I go out. I of course use a proper steam iron and an ironing board like this.
I however do not do too many items at a time as I find it difficult to stand for long. Just the two pieces that I will need for the day.
The discovery of the portable iron led me to reminisce about my travelling days as well as my obsession with ironed clothes AND another very impressive quote from a favourite actress.
I don’t think that I am spoiled. What do you think?
We appear to be kindred spirits in more ways than two, Ramana. I LOVE ironing. Which makes my mother wonder about my parentage as she HATES it. Or at least resents it.
What’s to resent? I think ironing a perfect metaphor of how to take life in your stride and smooth out the creases. On repeat.
U
Hello Ursula. It is always good to hear from you and yes, one more proof that we are kindred spirits. Neither of my parents ironed either! In fact, none of my siblings did.
My younger daughter adored ironing but my elder and myself hate it. I do press finished knitting pieces however which involved steam and protective cloth. And when I sewed I had to do the seams and set in sleeves, etc.
Never a fan.
XO
WWW
I am not a fan strictly speaking but, I do like to wear well ironed clothes. If I could manage it, I would prefer to use the services of a Pressman as he is called here, but he folds the clothes after ironing and those creases bug me. I tried training him to get my clothes on hangers but, he handles too many ever day and could not oblige one single customer.
I used to love to iron Bob’s clothes! I liked him to look sharp.
now I would probably find it meditative. I don’t iron my own clothes. I wear mostly knits. and I don’t dry them in the dryer until they’re all weird and wrinkled. they line dry. and I’m happy! LOVE the M Streep quote!!! she’s just the best!
Since retirement, I wear only our national dress which has to be woven and that is why I need to iron them. If and when knitted varieties arrive, I too shall perhaps stop ironing.
Good for you doing your own ironing. I can’t remember the last time I ironed anything. Mother had an ironing board allowing her to sit down to iron. I did plenty of ironing years ago and was delighted when there started to be fabrics that didn’t require ironing, starching and the like. Ironing for a whole family along with other household responsibilities plus having time for self could take away some of ironings pleasures. I’ve purposely avoided buying clothing items that require ironing for years.
My board too can be lowered to enable ironing while seated but, I find it more convenient to iron standing up. Since at a time I iron only two pieces, it is not too tiring.
The Golfer had always ironed his own shirts before we married so I’ve happily let him continue that way for the last 60yrs 😊
Has the ‘send out to the laundry man’ business (I think it’s called dhobi) been affected by covid at all?
In the initial stages of the lockdown yes, the services were affected but, with vaccination and relaxation, dhoby service has recommenced and we get regular service at home but, I don’t use them. He folds the garments after ironing and I don’t like the creases left behind.
I usually iron paper – but that’s not for the “wearing of” but to do with my art. A couple of weeks ago, I ironed one of my crumb quilts and forgot that that particular material wasn’t a true paper. I’m still rectifying that quilt – possibly might be quite different in the end.
I don’t wear many clothing items that need ironing nowadays but I did used to iron our clothes we wore for work, at one point I wore a uniform that had to be ironed.
I actually just bought a new iron, because I needed something more modern than the one that was on the blink more times than ironing proper!
Catherine de Seton recently posted..More miniature quilts
My daughter in love who does some dying and tie-die work when the mood takes her does borrow my iron to press the fabrics too.
The only thing I iron is shirts, and I’ve always ironed them myself. Only one woman has ever ironed my clothes and that was my mother about 52 years ago.
Welcome to the club Nick!
I virtually never iron anything. I try to only buy clothes that don’t require it. My husband will occasionally iron one of his shirts.
The clothes that I wear now, our native garb is all woven and do need to be ironed. Perhaps someday we will get them in knitted form and then I too can stop ironing.