You know it's time to put it through the wash: when only a glance at the middle where the dishes were set reveals last week's menu, when the daily smudges from the newspaper that we still read at breakfast each morning are dark enough that with a little focus the top story of the week comes into view, when a committee meeting is scheduled for tomorrow evening with just ordinary folks you don't care about impressing, but you don't want them to put their things on the floor because it looks cleaner.
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| Smooth like a garden bed |
I love my table and its cloth. I love it clean. I love it smooth. Probably not often enough the Things I get to do today say, "wash the table cloth." Which brings us to the "smooth" quality. I've found a way to have absolutely no wrinkles with absolutely no ironing though the table cloth is 100% cotton. This tip doesn't work as well with poly-type fabrics (which I'm not fond of anyway).
Got your pencil and paper ready? And answer is: watch what your mother-in-law, Evelyn, does. Don't have an Evelyn? Ok, ok, I'll give you a straight scoop: After running it through the wash, toss it into the dryer with the rest of the load. BUT take it out after 10-15 minutes, when it is still damp/dry. Spread it on the table (I have a table pad and a water-proof cloth to protect the wood surface) to dry, smoothing it with your hands and pulling the hemmed edges straight. That's it. It's all about having the right mother-in-law connection, really.
My mother-in-law ironed. I did, too, when I was married to her son. Lovely woman.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are still some things that we love to smooth with the heat of that tool, right? I iron the place mats.
DeleteI have got to start finding me some good cloth table cloths, preferably vintage. Then I will try your idea. But I don't mind ironing. But I am "retiring" my iron the end of July when my husband comes home!
ReplyDeleteMy table clothes are made from yardage at the decorator-fabric store. l love your vintage idea. I love to iron, but even pressing my best could not get all the wrinkles out. This saves both. Here's too the end of July!!
DeleteWhat a great idea. My table is well protected. I never thought about just smoothing it out. I hate ironing. My Grandmother ironed everything-sheets included. She always said they were cooler on hot College Place summer.
ReplyDeleteGlad to save you some suffering heat from your despised enemy. On any and every day possible I line-dry my sheets because, I believe your grandmother is right on here, when they are smooth, they feel cooler. But then I'm such a goner over line-dried sheets, who really knows the benefits?
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