I didn't iron before Frazier because I don't particularly like to...and it's a lot of trouble...and I'm too lazy to get out the ironing board.
But one of the documentaries I watched recently was called "I Always Do My Collars First" and was a whole documentary just about ironing...or arnin'...as it was told through interviews with four women from south Louisiana. These ladies were serious about their arnin', too. They did so every day and to pretty much everything they washed. Every one of them had a system, and while they differed in some respects, when it came to dress shirts they all did the collars first. Hence, the title.
They said it was about pride and self-satisfaction. They prayed while they arned, or meditated, or watched TV. They felt it was more than a chore. And they judged women who didn't. Rumpled families in public meant some wife or mother had failed. A little harsh, me thinks.
I think there is something to be said for fresh pressed linens and dress shirts, and I should probably iron more often. My grandmother, much like those ladies on the documentary, is a master arner. She can dewrinkle anything. I've sought her ironing advice on more than one occasion (because there is an art to arnin' which I'm about as good at as I am gardening). And more often than that, I've taken my clothes to her to iron. She's probably ironed more of my clothes than I have.
My mom, who is not a bad arner herself, has blogged about the Belgian obsession with ironing several times: here and here, for example. They'd probably have even more to say about ironing than the ladies on my documentary.
So, did "I Always Do My Collars First" make me want to go iron some dress shirts? A little. But not as much as the documentary "The Rise of The Southern Biscuit" made me want to make biscuits from scratch.
On the subject of arnin'- here are some pictures I took of Frazier in one of the few outfits we have for him that has to be ironed. And Mae Mae ironed it. If you'd seen the wrinkled wad I took it to her in you'd be impressed...no pun intended. ;)
That outfit is a favorite. He may not smile in every picture, but he's definitely got some expressions! Sometimes they make me laugh :) I just noticed that quilt he's on looks just like the fabric on the back side of our bedspread in Jefferson.
ReplyDeleteAnd I always do my collars last. Not sure what that says about pride and self-satisfaction. I'm proud and satisfied I've got one less collar to iron! I think you've got the right idea - buy knits and bake biscuits!
Uncle Joe is a far better ironer than me. I pressed some shirts for him while I visited and Hannah and Paulie laughed because they said he would be able to tell the difference and of course he did! He is one of the best---his shirts look as if they came from the cleaners. :) The pictures are great smiles. blank expressions, a littel drool---- I love them all and thank you for posting them.
ReplyDeleteHappy ironing---can that be possible?
Yep, Uncle Joe is our family's star...with Jim close behind. I do a good bit of ironing, usually right before school in the AM and yes, I always do my collars first. My grandmother Wells ironed for HOURS at a time...would come and get Mom all caught up. She ironed boxers and sheets...anything cotton was fair game. She would hum hymns and pray. She enjoyed her prayer/ironing time. Her contentment in Lord inspires and blesses me still.
ReplyDeleteLove Frazier looking at his widdle toes. This outfit is sooooo adorable on him :).
Those pictures are amazing smiling or not! He's just adorable!
ReplyDeleteThe arnin post cracked me up! I iron about once every three months! My version of dewrinkling is wet it and throw it in the dryer! My mom taught me that too :)