Today I sewed ten large white napkins for a dinner we are having at our church Friday night. They're to keep the bread warm at each table, in case you were wondering.
Randy & I are a part of the Marriage Ministry team that is sponsoring this "elegant evening of dinner & dancing". And we have forty couples attending and we are pretty excited about it!
Back to the napkins. I love sewing, but what I really love is the ironing and the pressing. I really do. And I have been thinking for the past hour while running endless stitches on white fabric, why?
Well, I think it goes way back. Ironing being the first 'job' I can recall having as a little girl that seemed so grown-up. I mean, ironing was always done while watching the soaps with my Mom and older sisters. I can still remember the clean, fresh scent of the freshly laundered clothes. I would spend hours and hours ironing hankies and pillow cases, tablecloths and napkins. Eventually graduating to dress shirts and dresses, and like everything else!! Cuz everything needed to be ironed back then!
We didn't have a dryer till my baby brother was born in 1969 and even then we still hung out the majority of clothes. Oh and we got the dryer a few years before we finally sprung for a washing machine. Yup, up till then, my Mom used a wringer washer!
Just remembered something, when it would snow for days, my Mom would hang all the blue jeans (we lived on a farm) in our cold, damp basement and when they were finally dry, you could actually lean them up against the wall! They were THAT stiff!
Oh and remember the pop bottles with the cork sprinkler that you'd sprinkle the clothes with while ironing? Someone?
And I also love hanging clothes out on the line. So gratifying. Here in Phoenix, we can literally take down the clothes that we just hung out before we hang out the next load. They dry that fast here. Remember, it's a dry heat, no humidity. Nice.
Come to think of it, I just really like the whole laundry process. All of it. Now, I don't iron much anymore. But when I am sewing, I iron constantly. Just makes what we are making much better, crisper and cleaner.
Hey, did you notice that my ironing board is extra-wide? It's the best! I LOVE it! Found this deluxe, state-of-the-art ironing board at a thrift store a few years ago and well, it was love at first site!
Oh and Mrs. McGillicutty (Lucy) just had to get all dolled up for Valentine's Day. I found this cute little number at my little thrift store for two dollars last Saturday. Brand new too! I don't have a clue what I'm going to wear Friday night, but I go buying Lucy a fancy cocktail dress. What's up with that! And no, it wouldn't fit me.
So fun. I love dressing the lady. Can I copy? I love the idea of the party with group. Our ss class is a little lacking in the party dept. I have been in groups that did fun things. Sounds like yours is great. Have fun and enjoy! I love the cupcakes too in your other post. You are so creative. Have fun at your party. But before come over to my blog and visit. I have been having a Valentines Day Party.
ReplyDeleteI've been lurking for quite some time but the comment about sprinkler bottles for ironing finally drew me out of lurkerdom.. lol I don't remember the bottles but I do remember my Mother fussing years ago when ironing my white dress shirt for me that she wished she had one of those bottles like her Mother had!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your blog so much, thanks for sharing!
I don't iron much, but it's a chore I really don't mind doing. I like smoothing out the wrinkles--creating order out of disorder is calming to me! I am thankful for no-wrinkle fabrics, however. :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Mrs. M's pearls! They're darling!
My husband's grandmother still uses a wringer washer to do her laundry. It is on her front porch. It is electic, but still very, very old fashioned.
ReplyDeleteMy DS saw an iron on trasnfer at the store the other day. I commented that we could make him t-shirts at home. He said, "Yeah, but we don't have an iron." Gulp. Yes we do, I just do NOT use it. Ever. ;o)
Linda, The napkins look so beautiful! Can we come?!? :)
ReplyDeleteHappy V. Day. I can't wait to hear how Friday night goes ...
Linda, you are welcome at my house anytime. The laundry, the ironing...all yours. I aim to please. :)
ReplyDeleteOh such lovely memories! Ironing was my first grown up "job", too! I do remember the pop bottle with the sprinkler thingee on top! *lol* And my mom used to hang the clothes in the basement in the winter and you are so right...they could stand up all by themselves! *lol* Thanks for bringing back such simple yet heart warming memories!
ReplyDeleteJan
Hi again. How was the party wasn't it last night? I loved your lady's name and wanted to name mine. I am thinking Hannah Homemaker. What do you think? I think it goes with the ministry. She will be modeling items we sell so thought that sounded good. I couldn't think of anything as creative as yours. LOL. Hope you have a Blessed Weekend.Sherry
ReplyDeleteLinda, To me ironing is my most de-stressing thing to do! I iron so much that about every 18 months I need a new one! And that day is creeping near!! I too remember sprinkling water, we had this white plastic bottle with a cap that was a red rose that had holes for the water to come out of!! Hmm...wonder where my rose obsession came from! And I too learned on Daddy's hankies!! Later,Lori
ReplyDeleteI remember watching my grandmother with a sprinkler bottle. It was a golden yellow - I loved to watch her iron! Funny, because I am AWFUL at ironing!
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