ironing shirts

Ironing Shirts

There is something to be said for ironing, and the smell of
freshly ironed garments - but how many folks still iron clothes?
I was thinking of this yesterday, when I was small there was
a rhyme that went:

Monday: Wash Day
In the days before automatic washing machines we had wringer
washers, and putting shirts through the wringer one had to be
careful or the buttons could get caught and possibly tear the
fabric of crack. One summer morning I was watching to make sure
that the buttons were feeding through flat and managed to wring
my hand through along with the shirt - it was an electric machine
with a reverse on the wringer so I wrung my hand back through -
made a mess and I can still see the scar some sixty years later.

Tuesday: Ironing Day
Wednesday: Sewing Day
Thursday: Market Day
Friday: Cleaning Day
Saturday: Baking Day
Sunday: Day of Rest

Since it was Tuesday I had four shirts to iron. Starting out I
realized they were too dry and so I sprayed and rolled each one so
they'd be ready while I set up the ironing board and plugged in
the iron.

I remember visiting at the lake where my great-aunts used heavy
irons that they heated on the wood stove. When one iron would cool
off another would be ready on the stove.

Taking the first shirt and unrolling it out of the board, reach
for the collar (think small parts first) and carefully press the
collar.

Turn the shirt over and fold along the yoke line - this is a
man's shirt, press along the yoke and over the front of the shoulder,
both sides.

Sleeves are next, starting with the small part, the cuff - press
then along the sleeve smoothing out any wrinkles, turn it over
and press the other side. Proceed to the second sleeve.

N.B. A point to remember is that on women's sleeves there should
never be a crease, unlike a man's shirt.
Told to me by one of my elegant French ladies, who used to design
the costumes for the School of Ballet.

The first side to iron is the one with the buttons, the piece up
by the neck should already be ironed when I did the yoke, so carefully
down the front, move it over for full coverage.

Next - the back, starting up at the edge where the yoke line is -
press that out and watch for pleats or tucks along the lower side
of the back.

When the back is finished on to the last piece the button hole
side of the front, again the piece up by the neck should already
be ironed so the rest is easy.

Now carefully hang the shirt on a hanger and let it rest.
Mmmm... the smell of a freshly ironed shirt