The Last Shirt

I like to iron.

I learned how to iron when I was about 8, ironing my dad's handkerchiefs.  And it WAS ironing.  Mom had several things dampened and rolled up in a heavy plastic bag ready to be laid out on the ironing board and IRONED.  (not pressed)

This was in the days before my mom had a steam iron, thus the dampening.

I remember just how I did it too.  I would lay out the entire hanky, unfolded and iron one side.  Then I would fold it in half and iron both sides.  And lastly, I folded it in half again and ironed both sides.  And it was done, a nice warm, oh so unwrinkly looking hanky, ready for my dad. 

It was one of my jobs. 

I soon graduated into ironing lots of things.  And if by chance I ironed a wrinkle into something we had a nice little sprinkler top on a pop bottle to dampen the spot and iron it again.

That was the days before spray bottles. 

Well, not really. I researched that one. But, I did find out that the pump style sprays didn't appear until the '60s.

Ironing made me feel so good, I've never minded it.  It must be because I've done so much of it, it isn't mind using work.  It 's especially good on cold winter days.  That may be why I would save all mine until then. 

I mean, I like to iron, just not everyday.

My specialty was men's shirts and I did all my dad's.  There is a right way to do them according to my mom. And I learned her way.  It's a good way.


How to Iron a Dress Shirt

I always iron the sleeves and collar first.  Doing them last can mess up the rest of the shirt.

Next, the yoke in the back,

before ironing the front.

I always liked men's shirts best because I got the button side out of the way first.  It's trickier.

Starting on the back.

Make sure to get under the arm holes.

Last front.

All Done!



Since this nicely ironed or rather pressed shirt, Zane knocked my iron off the ironing board for the third time and this time it didn't make it. So, I'm not going to be ironing for a while. 

This was it's last job.