Ironing ----- I started ironing when I was 4-years old (1956). I got to iron the hankies and flat pieces, such as linen and cotton towels. The better I got, the more ironing I got to do until I did most of it. Mom still did the doilies that were very complicated. She used sugar water to make them stiff and ironed all those flounces over a pop bottle covered with a piece of terrycloth. That was back when you sprinkled clothes with a water-filled pop bottle with a sprinkler stuck in the top. Nearly everything was ironed back then, even undies.

I was 8 when I started doing my teenage brothers ironing for 10 cents a piece because Mom made him do his own ironing and he hated doing it.

At 15 I took care of a couple "crumb crunchers" at their house during the summer while their parents worked. Out of boredom I asked the Mrs. if she had some ironing I could do for them. GOOD GRIEF! They never DID the ironing, they just bought more clothing. Down in their basement was basket after basket of clothes I spent ironing the rest of the summer.

When we were first married, we didn't require much ironing - jeans, flannel shirts, tee-shirts and polyester (the 70's).

Things that need pressing are few and far between now. We have absolutely NOTHING that requires dry cleaning (even hubby's suits) - nothing like toxic shock from chemicals they use. Hanging things on a hanger to dry (outside or inside) usually does the trick if you are careful to hang it on a quality wooden or padded hanger and crease the sleeves while they are wet and smooth out wrinkles while it's wet. I even place old shoulder pads under some heavier pieces to keep from getting "bunny ears" from the hangers on the shoulders while they air dry. I rarely use the dryer and don't like how the clothes come out when they are dried in the dryer. Too flimsy.

Occasionally a cotton blouse may look a little sad, but I've found I can spritz on plain old water (rather than Wrinkle Release) and smooth out a wrinkle in quick order. If I want that pressed look on a sleeve or a crease in a pair of pants, I just spritz it with water after it's dry and smooth it with my hand or fingers.

I never minded ironing, but I've pretty well eliminated it by fabric choices and how I take care of the laundry. If something ended up needing ironing, it quickly found its way into a box that was donated to a thrift store.

-Grainlady

Yes, My wife does most of the ironing. But, If I need something I can also iron. Shirts, slacks, jeans all need to be pressed. Even our pillow cases get spray stached and ironed. I guess it was the era that I came out of. Born in 1951. lol I think people would look a lot better if they ironed their clothes, or at least if they sent their shirts and blouses out.

Why is it that ironed sheets feel so good?

Yes of course! What a silly question!

I do, maybe once per month on average, when all (or the majority) of my shirts that are not synthetic/wrinkle-resistant have been washed and are waiting patiently to be worn again, LOL. It's not something I particularly enjoy, but is not *that* bad once I actually get on it.

I was born in 1952, my Mom taught me to iron (I was maybe about age 5 or 6) and I started with hankies, progressed to pillowcases and sheets, then to shirts. I would set up the ironing board by the TV and iron for hours. I rather liked it. It was mindless work that went quick.

We wear a lot of cotton so I iron once a week. I don't mind too much, I just put some music on and sing while I work. It can be rather theraputic, when the White Sox were in the World Series in 2005 I ironed everything in the house while watching the games. I actually set my board up right in front of the TV, it's better than chewing nails!

For me, ironing is therapy. Once a week I pound the life out of the ironing board.

I'm also from the 40s-50s era . . . My mom knew she could get me to do any household chore if she just asked me to iron: "What else could I do, Mom?" I hated it! We ironed everything . . . even underwear!

Now I do it in front of the TV. I iron anything that is cotton or looks wrinkled, but I let it pile up till we're scrambling for something to wear. Reminds me . . . there's a rack of shirts in the laundry room waiting . . .

I really like ironing, but then I have the time to do it. I can't imagine if you have kids, games, etc that ironing would be high on the list.
We like our sheets & pillowcases ironed, we feel like we're at a B&B every night. I also iron a couple of linen teatowels that I use to polish glasses.

I think I am the only person in my neighborhood who irons! I too am a child of the 50's and started ironing hankies and pillow cases. I iron most things - t-shirts, jeans, sweaters, sheets and even my husbands dress shirts! Theraputic ? yes when i have time to do it, but sometimes its a pain, when something 'has' to be ironed!

I iron a couple of times per week, more often in the summer when dampened clothes can get the stinkies.

We wear pretty much only cotten, linen, and wool clothing so that reqires ironing in most cases.

Plus I iron tons of household stuff: sheets, cases, napkins, tablecloths etc. (we use nearly 6 dozen napkins per week!)

I love ironing and it is therpeutic as someone above noted.

Ironed sheets feel so good because ironing smooths out wrinkles and creases and lays down the tiny fibers that stick out of cotton threads. Nothing feels as cool to sleep in as properly ironed cotton percale or linen sheets.

Molly