It's Tuesday --- which means it's time to do my weekly ironing here at Casa Jitterbug. I've set up my ironing station in the kitchen and retrieved an armful of hangers from the bedroom closet. While the iron heats up to the "nylon" setting, I thought it'd be a nice time to pay a call on my readers...
The authors of The Manual advise their own readers to begin the week's ironing by about 10:00 on Tuesday morning - after giving each of the rooms in the house a "light cleaning." After lunch, it was back to the ironing board. By 2:00 p.m., the efficient and skillful housewife should have all her ironing put away. That seems awfully quick. A whole week's ironing for a family in just a few hours? Especially for a woman working with a clunkier iron than we have today. And with all the different kinds of linens and things that were considered "must-irons" back in the day! Well, I guess if you didn't have any interruptions - and with several years' experience - you could probably get the job done in a few hours.
I shudder to remember how I used to iron everything on-demand. I had to drag that board out several mornings a week as I never ironed anything in advance. I was convinced they'd just wrinkle up again while hanging in the closet --- boy, was I wrong. (It helps when you don't have your closet jammed full of clothes that you don't wear any longer or don't fit you any more. Ironed clothes need a little elbow room.) Those of you who've been following me for awhile will probably remember what an adjustment this was for me. Now I love dispatching a whole week's ironing in a single evening. Last winter, when I was just getting started with the weekly ironing, I posted some general tips on ironing from The Manual. America's Housekeeping Book (1945) also gives detailed instructions on how to iron various kinds of wearing apparel or linens. Maybe it's time for me to check in with this vintage advice. How does my technique stand up? How 'bout yours?
Flatwork
1. Table Cloths: Fold selvedge to selvedge, right side out. Iron first on one side, then on the other. Fold again, lengthwise. Iron again on both sides. Fold to put away.
I have to admit I've never ironed any tablecloths. Of course, I only own two - an antique formal cloth that's never seen the light of day in my household and a floral one that dates to the early '40s and which I'm terrified even to launder. It only gets spot cleaned and shaken clean of crumbs once a week. One of these days I'll brave up...
2. Sheets: If you wish to be especially careful, iron as for tablecloths. Or iron 4 thicknesses at once: fold hem to hem, then fold in half, bringing hem side to fold. Iron first on plain side, then on hem side.
Check! Though I'm not always sure that I iron my sheets "right side out." I'll double-check them tonight.
3. Embroidered Pieces: Place heavy padding such as a folded bath towel on board or roll. Place the right side of the embroidery on the padding. Iron flat and perfectly dry.
Haven't had the occasion to iron any embroidered pieces lately. Do I even own any embroidered pieces?
4. Round Doilies: Iron from center toward outside edge. Keep turning the doily. Iron in the direction of the warp and filling yarns, not diagonally across them, or the doily will lose its shape.
Now this tip would have come in very handy when women kept as many doilies around the house as we do remote controls. I don't own any doilies, but I'd love to crochet a chair set one of these days for my club chair in the living room. I'll have to keep this tip in mind.
Curtains
1. Straight: Iron selvedge edges first. 2. Ruffled: Iron ruffles first... Iron a few inches at a time; finish edge first, then nose iron into gathers... After ruffles are finished, iron the body of the curtain, starting at the top hem and ironing downward. Avoid stretching, and iron in the direction of the yarns.
My only window coverings are blinds. I'm planning to amend this as I do some redecorating over the next several months, but in the meantime... My apartment sounds pathetic, doesn't it? Not a linen in sight!
Wearing Apparel
1. Dresses and Blouses: Iron in this order: trimmings, sleeves, back, front, collar. Double thicknesses such as hems, collars and cuffs should be ironed first on the wrong side, then on the right. A sleeve board is helpful auxiliary equipment. If material is dark in color, use a pressing cloth when ironing on the right side.
I'm definitely catching sleeves first these days, but I haven't saved collars for last - and haven't paid any attention to which side of the collar gets ironed first. I always iron dark-colored things wrong side out.
2. Men's Soft Shirts: (a) Collar: Iron on wrong side, then right side until perfectly dry, pulling taut and working from points in. Iron neckband completely dry. Shape collar by hand, iron edge of crease. (b) Yoke: Fold flat and iron dry. Iron armhole seams dry. (c) Cuffs and Sleeves: Iron cuffs same as collar. Nose iron up into gathers. Straighten sleeves from underarm seam; iron on both sides. Iron underarm seam dry. (d) Back and Front: Iron back first, then buttonhole side of front, then button side of front. Iron both sides of front pleat, holding it taut to prevent wrinkles.
There aren't any men in residence here, so I don't have any men's shirts to lavish this kind of attention on. I'm a little offended, though, that women's blouses just got junked in with the very brief instructions for ironing dresses! The authors of The Manual certainly had men's shirts down to a science.
3. Men's Washable Suits: (a) Iron linen suits while very damp; seersucker suits when slightly damp, gently stretching to original measurements. (b) Iron trouser pockets and waistband. (c) Place waistband of trousers over end of ironing board. Starting at fly, iron top of trousers. Remove from board. Place one trouser leg on board, straightening it from the "in-seam." (d) Press crease sharply for the entire length. Repeat, ironing second trouser leg. (e) Hang up to dry thoroughly. (f) Iron body of coat first, keeping lower edge in a straight line, and working from front to back and then to front again. (g) Iron sleeves, collar and lapels. (h) Iron shoulders on extra padding placed over the narrow end of the ironing board.
I guess the women who wore trousers would have to refer to these instructions, too. And I just finished ironing a pair myself! I'll have to check back in with these next week... All of this "iron dry" language reminds you how women used to dampen clothes before ironing them in these pre-steam iron days.
4. Pajamas: Iron like washable suits, above.
Shoot! We're supposed to be ironing our pajamas?
Trimmings, etc.
1. Smocking: Dry smocked sections with iron. Fluff up smocking with finger tips.
2. Pleats: (a) Iron hem of skirt first. (b) Pin pleats to pad or ironing board from under side of hem, using rust-proof pins. Be careful not to catch fabric where pinpricks will show. (c) Iron from bottom to top.
3. Tatting: Press tatting, never iron across it. Fingerpress while still damp, then press dry.
4. Tucks: (a) Vertical: Pull taut and hold taut while ironing lengthwise. (b) Horizontal: Iron downward from top tuck toward bottom tuck. Iron each section dry before going on to the next, or puckering may result.
5. Slide Fasteners: Close before ironing or pressing.
6. Laces: (a) Place face down on soft pad. (b) Iron from center to outside edge. (c) Lace used as trimming should be ironed from the attached edge outward if it is sewed on flat. If ruffled, iron from outside edge inward. (d) Fragile or rare old lace must be given special care by experts. Museums can advise you where special treatment is given.
7. Fringe: (a) Do not iron. (b) Comb gently when wet.
Velvet and Pile Fabrics
1. Do not iron.
2. Steam small pieces as follows: Tie several thickness of cheesecloth over teakettle spout. When steam emerges, pass the velvet rapidly back and forth through steam, so the steam passes through the velvet from the wrong side to the right side.
3. Send velvet garment or large pieces of velvet or other pile fabrics to a good dry-cleaning establishment for cleaning and steaming.
I can safely say I don't currently own any velvet or any clothes or linens trimmed with smocking, tatting, or fringe. Lace - I don't think so. Slide fasteners - Are these the same as zippers? I do own some pleated skirts, so will have to have these instructions at the ready next time they show up in my ironing pile. I usually avoid the pleated areas completely, but if you're treating your clothes with an eye toward long-term wear, you can't avoid those pleats forever!
16 comments:
Fantastic tips! Thanks!
The one household chore I dislike most is laundry, and ironing- I try not to buy anything that must be ironed! I so admire you!
Of all the blogs I follow, I always enjoy stopping by your blog especially.
Hope you had a wonderful Holiday!
Wendy
Thanks for these tips! The elderly italian lady that i help out always has perfectly pressed sheets and dishtowels...I always wondered how she managed it, (she walks with a cane!!) I swear, mine look like some discarded rags in comparasion! Might be time to iron the sheets, just too see if they sleep any better, huh?
Wendy, color me thoroughly surprised that I actually don't mind ironing. Much prefer it to washing the floors or scrubbing down the bathtub surround!
Tammy, I love my ironed sheets. Especially how nice they look in the linen closet before I put them on the bed! I've never ironed any dishtowels, though.
Thanks for the tips. I learned a couple of things.
I remember all that ironing - and the rules for doing it properly. It is interesting that we can iron things today with less dictatorial rules and still have nicely ironed items. I like to iron linens - sort of a relaxing time for thinking.
If you don't have doilies or embroidered pieces you must get some to go with your 1940s lifestyle - they were a must - and had to be precisely ironed. Embroidered dresser scarves and pillowcases, not to mention dish towels (called tea towels back then) are an absolute must. You can often find them in second hand stores, at yard sales, or sometimes reasonably in antique stores, or of course, you could spend your evenings embroidering, as they did in the 1940s. Enjoy
Many have told me I need medical attention for this but I love to iron! I find it very relaxing, almost zen like. Sometimes I feel like I release my stress as I smooth out those wrinkles with my iron. I iron anything I can get my hands on, especially sheets. I can't seem to sleep comfortably on wrinkly sheets. Also, I find that if I hang whatever needs to be ironed on a hanger from the night before and gently mist the garment with a spritzer bottle filled with room temperature water, the dampness and gravity work wonders on stubborn wrinkles, making it easier to iron the item the next day. On that note,after re-reading what I just wrote, I will drive myself to a therapist right now! (LOL)
Sorry, chica; no way in Hell am I ironing bedsheets. Line-drying is as wrinkle-free as they're going to get. Ironing is for "better" dresses, skirts, and blouses, only. And napkins, if absolutely necessary.
I had a college dorm-mate who ironed--I kind you not--everything. We're talking T-shirts and underwear. Insanity.
PS - to Lily, I'll go with you. Cheaper that way.
Spritzing and then turning a fan on the clothes works great, too, especially in the dry climates. Can get away with not ironing quite a few things.
I used to have to iron for my aunt. Wooo, she had everything ironed. Underwear, her bras (remember the cotton cones?), even diapers! Poor, poor babies!
Packrat, I had to laugh when you said 'remember the cotton cone' as I don't have to remember it, I am wearing one now! I actually have not got to the point where I iron my bras, but I have to say, the cone bra is a great hidden asset modern women aren't aware of. The modern bra squashed and melds while the cone bra lifts and separates. Want to take 10 years off you figure, put one one! I am not well endowed up there and my bra makes a gal feel a little more 'fuller' up top. A very full figured friend tried one one day with me and she looked wonderful and has never turned back.
I, too, iron on tuesdays, and it is not one of my favorite chores. I use a 1950's pink iron, it has a steam setting and works fine. I do prefer it to cleaning bathrooms, I will admit that!
I have to say it is a treat on mondays when the bed linens get changed to slip into clean ironed sheets and pillowcases, you feel as if you are at an hotel!
Great tips! Personally, i really enjoy ironing! It's really relaxing and i love ironing out all the creases and getting the material and smooth and warm :)
Yes i'm sad, i know!
My female forebearers would cringe in shame at me, but I don't iron anything. 'Course, I can get away with not ironing today because we've become such a casual society and leaving the house in clothing that isn't perfectly pressed isn't a big deal now. I take everything out of the dryer and hang it up or put it away immediately and that's as wrinkle-free as I get. I do admire your perseverence to the old ways though, and hey, if you enjoy it, all the better!
I like to Iron . I am not the best at it .I think doing it will make me better at it. I think I am not the best because in the late 60's women all gave up ironing. MY mother had nine kids and we always wore full dress. She had the ironing board out all the time except for company. (I used to tell people my mom ironed Everything including the curtains)
Funny someone pointed out dish towels and tea towels . We always called it tea towels. (not sure where that is from.) My parents never called it a couch either Mom said Davenport and Dad said Devain . They were born in the 20's The gutter, dad called eves trough.My girlfriends parent's call the fridge,the Ice box. it is funny how time changes words.
Piecefulafternoon, I definitely need to amp up my decorative linen supply here at home. One thing I'd never trade, though, are modern dish towels. Those tea towels just don't do the trick!
Lily and Stefanie, we may need to start a chapter of IA (Ironing Anonymous)! :) What Lily describes in spritzing wrinkled clothes the night before and hanging them up sounds almost exactly like the "sprinkling" housewives used to do with their laundry the night before Ironing Day. I gather from what I've read that most women rolled their sprinkled things up and chilled them in the fridge overnight.
Latter-Day and Packrat, I draw the line at underwear! I do love my ironed sheets...
50sgal, much, much more fun than cleaning the bathroom.
Gingerella, if I had my own dryer, there are probably a few things I could whip right up onto hangers or fold and be good. It just takes a few minutes in the laundry basket for things to wrinkle up badly, though, so my iron's been good to me.
Mrs Tailleur, you sure come from good ironing stock! I thank goodness I don't have to iron the kind of starched finery little girls used to wear once upon a time.
I found ironing very soothing while home to see our families this past summer. I was gathering up all of my grandmother's and great-grandmother's (and a few from a great-great grandmother) linens that have now been passed to me, and my husband and I would watch old movies while I ironed and got him coffee. It was fun to be relaxing in my grandmama's 1950's home, ironing away. (we're both 25, so it looked very picture-esque)
I must admit, I have also asked for (and am picking up at Christmas) my grandmother's old heavy iron. It's ancient, but works better than anything else I've ever used, and will come in handy for my husband's uniforms (military). My mother thought I was nuts for wanting it, but I was ready to buy it from her!
And oh can I relate to Mrs. Tailleur. My mother irons pretty much everything except undergarments (which is why I thought I might have a fight for the iron). And my grandmother calls the sofa the divan (and since we're inheriting it, I plan to continue calling it so!) and the refrigerator the ice box. I figure she's nearly 82 and isn't going to change any time soon!
Do you gals remember if the word "divan" was pronounced "de-vann" or "de-vahn". I've always wondered which way people really said it...
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