Freezing Fabric

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03-01-2019, 09:09 AM

#41

betthequilter

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Join Date: Sep 2012

Location: VA

Posts: 464

Quote:

Originally Posted by SusieQOH

I remember my Mom sprinkling my Dad's shirts and rolling them up before ironing. She didn't put them in the fridge though. I think she did it right before she was ready to iron.

My mom did this as well, Susie.

03-01-2019, 12:25 PM

#42

SusieQOH

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Join Date: Jul 2017

Location: Central Ohio

Posts: 15,210

Quote:

Originally Posted by betthequilter

My mom did this as well, Susie.

When I think about it, I can't believe all the things my Mom did each day. Blows my mind just to imagine
Cooked and baked daily, all from scratch. That's just the beginning........

03-01-2019, 09:09 PM

#43

Nurse Jan

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Join Date: Sep 2011

Location: Arizona

Posts: 128

You don't even have to freeze the fabric. I was taught as a Very young girl to sprinkle my fabric with water, fold it, put it in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. when you take it out to press it does press like butter. It is so easy and irons easily without any wrinnkles.

Last edited by QuiltnNan; 03-02-2019 at 01:45 AM. Reason: shouting/all caps

03-03-2019, 12:03 PM

#44

DebbyP

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Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: Upstate NY

Posts: 6

Freezer fabric

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calmclam

My mother had a clipping on the refrigerator from a magazine - were talking the 50's here

Refrigerator: a place to store things systematically before throwing them out.

So, so true! Used to be I only got rid of food this way....who knew this was a method to de-stash!

06-24-2022, 11:02 AM

#45

kathyjbl

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Join Date: Aug 2020

Location: Amelia Island, Florida

Posts: 8

Shirts in the freezer

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuiltNama

My grandmother did this with all her fabric and cotton dresses that needed to be ironed. Her reasoning was that after washing and drying partway, the freezer kept mildew away til she was able to iron her goods. She lived in Florida where it was a problem. I asked her why she didn't just spray water or starch on them before they were ironed, and she said that all the items ironed much better coming from the freezer. Peace, Brenda

I know the thread is old, but I was telling my husband this morning about my mother sprinkling my dad's shirts. I clearly remember the glass ginger ale bottle with the metal sprinkle cap on it, near the ironing board. This would be at least in the early 1960s. My mom would sprinkle the shirts, bundle them into a plastic bag, and keep them in the chest freezer. I also remember having Niagara spray starch at some point, but I guess she liked the water-sprinkling idea better. We also had a mangle ironer, for flat things like pillowcases, tablecloths, sheets, etc. I loved using the mangle to iron. The smell of freshly ironed fabric, and the miracle of wrinkle-to-smooth was marvelous. Happy memories.

06-24-2022, 12:33 PM

#46

Synnove

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Join Date: Oct 2020

Location: Virginia

Posts: 231

Ah yes, memories. In the 50's my mother would set up the ironing board in the living room and iron while she watched Art Linkletter or Queen for a Day.

06-24-2022, 12:44 PM

#47

kathyjbl

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Join Date: Aug 2020

Location: Amelia Island, Florida

Posts: 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synnove

Ah yes, memories. In the 50's my mother would set up the ironing board in the living room and iron while she watched Art Linkletter or Queen for a Day.

I was born in the early '50s so I don't remember much of my mother's habits at that time. But we were a military family and lived overseas. That meant that my mother often had inexpensive (or supplied by the military) household help. I do recall though in the mid-1960s, when we lived in England for 2 years, she would hide the ironing from the person who came help with housework. She was apparently a terrible ironer! For many years my mom was adamant that we not have a television in the living room... so it was relegated to the den or the basement rec room! I do recall watching Queen for a Day myself in the '60s. Remember how often the woman would win appliances? Whoopee. LOL

Kathy

06-25-2022, 09:56 AM

#48

Reader1

Junior Member

Join Date: Aug 2019

Posts: 122

My mom would sprinkle the clothing she was going to iron and roll the items and put everything in a large plastic bag in the freezer. She brought it out on "ironing day".

06-25-2022, 10:19 AM

#49

quiltsfor

Senior Member

Join Date: May 2022

Location: Northeast

Posts: 682

I don't wash my fabric. I like the 'sizing' in it when I'm cutting and quilting with it, as it frays less. Not to mention less work - no washing, no starching, no ironing etc. before using. Plus, if I froze my fabric (if I washed it before using) I would need multiple industrial room size freezers to contain my fabric.

My mom never put her ironing in the freezer or fridge, but we (sisters and me, and mom) always used Niagara Spray starch. I probably ironed hundreds of pillow cases/sheets, handkerchiefs plus regular clothes. I was so happy when permeant press clothes came out, and mixed fabric bedding that didn't wrinkle like the cotton ones!

06-25-2022, 10:54 AM

#50

MaryKa

Senior Member

Join Date: Jun 2022

Location: USA

Posts: 378

Quote:

Originally Posted by betthequilter

Do you freeze your fabric? No, I'm not talking about where to store it or where to hide it from hubby.

I had a great quilting teacher. I took many classes from her through a community college. She advocated freezing fabric. I know there is a controversy about whether to wash fabric or not wash fabric. I happen to be a person who washes probably 95% of the fabric that I purchase.

After washing your fabric (if you care to do so), put it in the dryer and Partrially dry it. That is important. Don't dry it completely. Fold the fabric and put it in a plastic bag and then put it in the freezer. Whenever you feel like ironing it, take it out of the freezer .... it may have some bits of ice on it. Iron it with a dry iron. As my quilting teacher said, "it irons like butter" .... can't say I've ever ironed butter! All the wrinkles will be gone and the fabric will be so smooth.

So, I ask again: do you freeze your fabric? If you don't, try it .... you may like it!

----------------------
Not in the freezer but Momma did sprinkle the clothes and put it out on the back porch in the winter in Michigan where I grew up.