Old School Ironing
#12
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,334
that brings back the memory of my mother. She didn’t like to iron so would sprinkle the clothes and put them in an old fridge in the basement and when they mildewed she would throw them away. We were not rich. I learned to iron when I was about 10 and did the ironing. I still have a scar on my finger from when my brother bumped the ironing board and the iron fell on my finger. I still don’t mind ironing when the occasion arises.
#13
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Fargo, North Dakota
Posts: 286
Ironing
We used to do the sprinkler bottle, roll up & iron too! Everything did come out really nice. We had a sun porch that was like a freezer in the winter & we'd even hang some clothes on a line in there. The pants could stand up by themselves!
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 601
I just spray with water before I iron them......seems to work OK for most of them....when we sprinkled the wash...we just rolled it up and put in a laundry basket for a few hours and then ironed....no freezer...you also can make your own spray starch out of cornstarch.....best though if you plan to wash the quilt after made because starch could attract bugs.....
#17
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,426
The reason for putting in fridge was because the starch used then would sour overnight if not kept cold. It was the starch made from powder in a box. Most did not iron the same day as wash day, no time. The sprinkling before ironing was to help remove the wrinkles from the rolling. My mother and grandmother had wash day, then ironing day. My job as a little girl was to be sure all the clothepins were taken off the line and put in the clothespin bag. All washing was done with a wringer washer, and it took from morning to noon.
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Posts: 9,475
This is the way it was done when I was growing up. I had to iron since I was 8 yrs old. My mom had me iron sheets and pillow cases too. Never could see any use for that but that is the way it was done in the "olden" days. Now I iron with steam and starch all my fabric before I start a project.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: VA
Posts: 465
You're right, gillyo. It really helps to put the slightly damp fabric in the freezer. We had a thread on this a while back and I said that my quilting teacher said to put slightly damp fabric in the freezer and it would iron "like butter". Well, I've never ironed butter, but it really does iron great and takes out the wrinkles.
My mom also had a sprinkler top on a bottle to dampen the clothes. She would roll them up and put them in a sack/pillowcase until she got to iron them.
My mom also had a sprinkler top on a bottle to dampen the clothes. She would roll them up and put them in a sack/pillowcase until she got to iron them.