How To Do You Do Laundry And Lift Weights At The Same Time?

[launderess]

These are called "tailors" or "gooseneck" irons and are used for pressing, which those of you who are really into laundry and or sew know is different than ironing.

Basically such irons are electrically heated versions of the old sad irons of yore, and weigh in at about 8lbs. The heat of the iron (mine is 1000 watts of power), coupled with the weight presses down and smoothes without any further effort required. Well except lifting the darn thing.

Anywho tried this iron out yesterday when ironing some percale and bastie bed linens, and it worked as I thought it would, that is to say a treat. Because of the nature of percale and bastie weaves, it takes quite allot of pressure to restore them to smooth after laundering. Really takes the action of a good ironer or laundry press to exert the required pressure. However the tailor's iron did the thing beautifully. However am here to tell you that after several hours of lifting, moving, lifting and putting down an 8lb iron, was just that knackered when done. My arm is still sore, but my linens look lovely.

Ironing actually went much faster because one did not have to go over areas several times, pressing down hard to get a smooth surface. Also because of the heat and pressure, this is the first iron that truly lived up to the claim "ironing both sides at the same time". When one would turn an item over to do the other side, realised it was "done" already! Yay!

Because of the pressure and heat, this probably is more like calendering than ironing. Calendering is what gives new linens that smooth and shiney surface.

L.

 

[partscounterman]

You GO Girl!

You are an inspiration to me. I am glad to see the true art of homemaking is being continued. Do any young people know these things any more?

Me? I used to press EVERYTHING in a Spartan Press-O-Matic. Vowed my standards would not change when we moved first into an Airstream Travel Trailer, then over to Maui. I almost never iron now, my standards went almost immediately. I still admire those who do take the time to do things right.

I just smooth things as they come off the line and give some things a toss in the dryer.

David (who will not be winning Housekeeper of the year any time soon)

 

[launderess]

Spartan Press-O-Matic

Have had two with not much luck, as both burnt out,and parts are NLA.

One still sits stored somewhere, if you want it for parts or something, let me know. Have a Hurley press and Elnapress so am pretty well covered in that department.

L.

 

[ironrite]

Now that's an iron! So much of what we do with our clothes and machines are a labor of love and because we enjoy doing it for many different reasons. I do hope that your family and friends appreciate the effort that you put into keeping laundry and clothes looking great.

While looking around the web for info on the tailor iron, I saw this site and thought of you. You've probably seen it. But thought others would get a kick out of it. Just another handy little pressing machine.

Mangling

Mangling

fiberarts.org

 

[launderess]

Oh yes, have seen that site before, and waaaaaaaaay to much effort pour moi!

That is how mangling of linen was done before electric, heck even before heated irons and probably long afterwards until modern steam ironers came along.

Owing to it's properties, linen can be "cold" mangled that way quite easily with excellent results. There were also long rods called "mangles" or "mangle rods" that one would wind linen cloth around tightly after laundering. When it was dry you rolled off smooth "ironed" cloth. You can find these sometimes on eBay and at estate sales. For some reason very popular with Scandanavians (sp?).

L.