Meryl Streep has been quoted to say, “You can’t get spoiled if you do your own ironing.”
Well isn’t that the truth. So I obviously can’t be said to be spoiled.
If I had a dollar for every item I’ve ironed in my life I could easily pay cash for a luxury car; come to think of it, I could likely buy a pair of them.
I’ve been ironing since I was a little girl. In fact, I remember learning the “correct” way when in Junior High School in Edmonton. We even had to get our parents, or in my case, my mother, to mark me on my ironing skills. Can you imagine youth of today having to do such a thing? Huh!
Even in this age of ‘wrinkle-free’ I’ve discovered there really is no such thing. Everything still needs ironing. It’s just that some items with that silly label mean that they require minimal ironing rather than none.
All that said, I don’t necessarily dislike all ironing. It gives me great pleasure to iron all my napkins before guests come over for dinner. I like to have crisp unwrinkled napkins at the ready for my guests. I also do the same for my table cloths though admittedly, once they’ve been neatly folded for weeks on end, there are fold creases still visible when I set the table.
I’ve ironed more shirts and blouses than I could ever count, and still do. But there is one thing I truly detest having to iron: pants / slacks. Those are a pain to iron and get it right. When I iron, I want the end result to look like somebody cared, so fiddling with slacks has never become any easier. Slacks don’t seem to ever be made with an iron in mind.
To make the job a tad more pleasant, when the weather is warm and sunny, I set up outside on the deck and do my ironing out there. If I have these lemons to deal with, I might as well make lemonade with them.
What about you? What are your thoughts on ironing? What chores do you dislike but have made them more palatable by doing them in a different way? I’d love to know your thoughts.
I still iron, although I need to upgrade my iron. It doesn’t seem to get very hot. I love my old green wooden ironing board. I have carted it around for years. Ironing can be relaxing but I am with you on slacks..
What a lovely post — and your photos are gorgeous! I do love to iron — just don’t ever seem to have the time to do it properly!!!
Haha, I’m laughing at Susan’s comment with that wonderful Erma Bombeck quote 🙂 Ironing has never been a favorite chore here, I’m afraid…but I applaud you, Diane! I’ve always done as little ironing as I can possibly get away with and if I were ever to be graded on my ironing skills, I would flunk. Maybe I could ship my ironing up to you?
Oh does this bring back some wonderful memories, although at the time, I am sure I did not think they would become wonderful memories. 🙂
My mom ironed bedsheets! I have been ironing since I was tall enough to reach the ironing board. Today, I too iron a lot, but now, I actually find it quite relaxing.
You have a wonderful week, Diane, and thank you for the memories! xo.
Diane, with all your other many interests, I’m amazed that ironing is something you also fit in…and enjoy. As for me, I would rather take photos of ironing like you just so beautifully did than to actually iron. Also not that fond of any household chores, unfortunately. I like when it’s clean but I wish someone else would do it.
I don’t own an ironing board but I do have an iron. I think I know where it is. It is lovely to think about you ironing outside.
The only time my iron sees the light of day is when I am sewing then it is used for ‘pressing’ – note the sublte difference?
As for having your ironing skills assessed – well!
“My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.”
Erma Bombeck
I, however, love ironing. Smoothing out the wrinkes, the warm smell of clean linen, the chirrup of steam and a neat pile of clothes at the end. It is a solitary occupation, a quiet space in the day allowing for reflection.
I always think Meryl sounds like a throughly good egg.
I quite like ironing but my dodgy shoulder means that my husband has to do most of it.
Ironing? What’s ironing? I will shamefully admit that I have worn a really wrinkled shirt knowing it will bug my husband and that he will sigh demand the shirt and iron it for me. I guess that makes me spoiled! 🙂
But I will also say I can’t remember the last time the iron was pulled out-I’m not even sure where the ironing board is. Basement? Thankfully jeans and t-shirts, even long sleeve ones never really need ironing! 🙂
Oh- and I’ve been thinking of you because my middle daughter, Clara age 5, learned to whistle. Clara has been whistling EVERYWHERE and all the time. We took a trip to Florida and she whistled through the airports, along the beaches, down the nature trails… she’s getting good and starting to imitate birds and everything- constant practice pays off!