In my ongoing clean it campaign, the window panels got their wash and necessary ironing.
Goodness, they barely fit the ironing board.
So I thought of my grandmother as I was ironing, and wished she was there to put these panels in her ironing machine, zip them through and in no time they would be nicely pressed. I can see her in the kitchen running the sheets and pillowcases through the machine. She even could do men's shirts and pants. I loved to watch her, and of course we could not lean in too close to the hot machine.
I learned later in life that she was actually asked to go on the road to do demos for this iron roller machine, she was so good at it. But of course she didn't. A career of any sort was far from her mind. Her work was at home and with that she was content. And she excelled at it.
Iron photo pulled from the internet ... not necessarily the company that made my grandmother's, but it is similar and gives the general idea.
My grandmother had a similar ironing device and it was called a mangler. I thought that said it all and stayed away from it!! I would like to have one, however, for ironing some of those items that don't fit the ironing board. Seems as if spring cleaning was just finished!! Oh, wait--it isn't!!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
I never knew about these ironing devices! Obviously, my influences were not as tidy and neat as yours. ;) I do see something like this in one of the catalogues I receive and I have always wondered about them. I assumed this was a new fangled thing. Shows how much I knew about it! LOL! Thank you for the wonderful story about your visits to your grandmothers AND the enlightenment on the ironers! blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteThat is such an interesting iron. And to think your grandmother could use one like a pro. I guess it would be a dangerous machine to use though. It's nice to have your drapes all fresh for winter. Have a great weekend. Pamela
ReplyDeleteI never saw one of these things in my life! Pretty nifty! I bet they make a nice crease on shirts and pants.
ReplyDeleteI never knew my grandmothers, but I do know that I learned everything about housekeeping from my mother, who was a neat freak. Not only did she iron everything in sight, she took in ironing to make a few extra dollars. How she did that with 7 kids! See was an inspiring woman!
XO,
Jane
Hi Podso
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this type of ironing machine and would love to see one in action.
There are wider ironing boards to accommodate tablecloths and sheets - I've asked for one for Christmas. Hopefully DH can find one. The cottage we rented this summer had one and it was so nice to use.
Judith
my mother had one of these, did yours? I remember ironing pillowcases on this when we lived in Laceyville. And I think my dad's boxers went through it as well.
ReplyDeleteI know my mom did sheets and tablecloths on it as well--I was allowed to do only the "small stuff." Maybe this is where my passion for extremely neatly folded laundry comes from -- I loved the smell and feel and look of smooth, warm and perfectly folded works of my hands!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting device! My Mom had the old fashioned washer that had rollers at the top that would squeeze the water out after the items were rinsed, but I never saw an iron like your grandmother's.
ReplyDeleteI love ironing!
ReplyDeleteHmmm that is interesting...why hasn't that iron thing made a come back. My mother was always horrified at my lack of wielding an iron, but I could have gone for one of these things. Now I just hang things up and give them a squirt of water from a spray bottle, a little shake and it is good enough for me these days...my poor mama...rolling over in her grave =)
ReplyDeleteMy mom had an ironer--it sat in a corner of the kitchen and collected dust and all sorts of odds and ends. She used a regular iron--don't know why she wasn't allowed to get rid of the ironer--it just took up precious space!
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