Aunt Diane - what's an iron?

[Diane F.]

Seriously! I heard this question from my grandniece Kylene. I mentioned asking her mother to use an iron for a craft project and I learned that her daughter has never seen an iron. Hmmm...I may need to fix this! She is turning 6-years old in September. I might need to find some simple projects to introduce her to sewing, etc.

[Eileen K.]

Maybe Mom uses all permanent press! :lol:

[Nancy R.]

Now that I think about it, the only time I've ever used an iron was when sewing. I doubt I would own one otherwise. Interesting!

Nancy

[Charae H.]

I only use an iron when quilting. My husband irons his own shirts and... jeans (!!??!) because he is convinced that I can only iron flat things. :roll: Every once in a while he asks me if it's ok if he borrows the ironing board. Translated, that means "is it ok to remove the fabric from the ironing board so I can use it?" Sometimes it's not terribly convenient, but I don't want to discourage him! :wink:

[Lois B.]

I only use an iron when quilting. My husband irons his own shirts and... jeans (!!??!) because he is convinced that I can only iron flat things. :roll: Every once in a while he asks me if it's ok if he borrows the ironing board. Translated, that means "is it ok to remove the fabric from the ironing board so I can use it?" Sometimes it's not terribly convenient, but I don't want to discourage him! :wink:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Lois B.]

You can iron clothing with an iron?????????????????

I didn't know that!!!

[Lois B.]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Kathryn S.]

I grew up watching my Mom iron clothing at the ironing board in the kitchen. I can remember sprinkling the cotton fabric with water and rolling it up to let the water soak in. Did they have steam irons back then? Then she taught me how to iron. Once in college, I didn't really iron anymore, except when I was sewing, at the time clothing. Now, I don't iron anything anymore ops: . One of my friends irons everything, including t-shirts! She looks more polished than I do, have to admit.

Now, I only press

Kathy

[Kathryn S.]

Well, guess I'm weird or just plain different. I used to hate it and once even moved from one house to another and moved the ironing basket! Then, when the next move came, and the same clothes where in the basket, they didn't fit the kids anymore, so I just 'folded' them nicely and put them into the good-will bin. Now, it's more often than not emply, or close to the bottom. I consider ironing/pressing a very important pasrt of quilting. I think it really makes a difference. I love ironing now and do it all the time, becasue I love the end result. Even the T/golf shirts my hubby wears get a swift pass over before going into the closet. I have two ironing boards. Also, if at all possible I put my laundry on the line to dry, not so much to save electricity, but becasue I love the smell.

[Diane F.]

I remember ironing pillow cases as a child! Thank goodness for the development of permanent press sheets and pillow cases.

[fiona j.]

My mother irons EVERYTHING...even socks....maybe that's why I hate it! When I got married, I ironed a shirt for my new husband to wear on his first day back at work and informned him that was the last time too. He's done his own ever since.... As soon as the children were old enough to handle an iron safely, I taught them how to iron their own school and cadet uniforms and elt them get on with it. Nowadays, there's only me and the 8 yr old to iron for, so I pay the teenager to do it - she's more that happy at having her dance classes paid for as part of the deal!
As for quilt pressing - essential! I have my own "dry" iron and a choice of several mini boards...

[Lois B.]

Kathy, I remember my Mother ironing too. I loved it when she'd ironed because she was in one spot and she could talk to me or tell stories. I remember dampening the clothes using a soft drink bottle with a metal sprinkler top that fit into a cork stopper. I was permitted to do that before I was old enough to use the iron. I remember learning to iron handkerchiefs and pillow cases too, Diane. And I remember my mother telling me that when they ironed growing-up they were taught to have the dampened part of the garment on the far side of the ironing board with the freshly pressed dry side of the garment being pulled toward them so that it wouldn't pick up dust or dirt from their own clothing. She was a farm girl and there was dirt everywhere. It was very hard to keep things clean. I think they used ironing as a way to sterilize bedding from a sick room. That's a good reason to iron hankies as well. Actually, I like to iron to but there are so, so many things that I like to do more. Terrie, I've been using a clothesline on my screened in porch. That way I get the smell of fresh air but I don't have to worry about the birds. There are lots of trees in my yard. Memories.

[ANNE E.]

After almost 50 years of marriage my DH said he didn't mind if I didn't iron the duvet covers, why did he wait so long??????????????
Anne

[Rita C.]

After 23 years together my DH asked me to teach him how to iron a shirt properly recently. I showed him and then he did one straight after to see if he had it right. Now he is happy to do them himself. I am a whimsical shirt ironer. If I am in the mood they get ironed, if not they get folded and put on his chest of drawers for him to deal with. He decided that he prefers ironed shirts ergo the need to learn to do it himself. Talk about teaching an old dog a new trick! :lol:

[Hannelore N.]

"An iron?...... Look into Granddad's golf bag, Kylene. There is an iron in there. And a putter, and several other clubs!"