bearisgray

I just remembered when I was growing up -

Mom made this starch mixture in this huge bread making bowl (Mom would make 8 loaves at a time) -

Argo (I think - white print on blue background) starch - mixed with a little cold water to dissolve it - hot water added to it - it turned translucent - and a little square of blue Satina stirred in - made little streaks while it melted.

(Mom also added bluing to the last rinse water!)
"Doing the wash" was a big production - wringer washer, two rinse tubs, outside line drying when the weather was decent, clothes rack drying when it wasn't.

Anyway - the rinsed items were dipped in the bowl of starch, wrung out by hand, and then dried.

Of course, after they were dried, then they were sprinkled and rolled up for several hours (or a day - or put in the freezer!) and then ironed.

Aprons, shirts, dresses - don't remember if the overalls (bib-style) were starched or not. I think they were - it made it easier to wash the dirt out of them. An occasional cloth table-cloth.

It seemed like there was always a LOT of ironing - even though Mom was not "an iron everything" sort of person.

We had "oil cloth" on the kitchen table.

I don't remember if Mom washed fabric before cutting it or not. I grew up in garage/rummage/yard sale clothes. Actually, they were quite nice - better than what I have now! :?

I know she did a LOT of mending of the overalls. Rescued the backs of the legs from the more worn out ones and put it on the fronts of the legs of the less worn out ones. She did a lovely job of patching - she said decent repairing is also an art form.

Sadiemae

My Grandma pressed for people when I was very young. As much as I can remember, she did it like your Mom.

QuiltnNan

thanks for the recipe and the memories :) :)

athomenow

I remember those same things with the washing on Saturday and hanging everything out to dry. I also remember the coke bottle with the sprinkler top that we used to wet the clothes. I ironed for my married sister and got $.10 a shirt. Her husband wore long sleeve dress shirts and they had to be starched and iron just so! Good memories.

0tis

Yes, I once worked for a woman who loved starch too - question- why put the clothes in the freezer? what does that do?

Greenheron

In the freezer keeps them 'sweet' and fresh and they won't mildew from sitting damp at room temperature if they cannot be pressed right away.

MaRanda

Wow!! Did you ever bring back some neat memories. I also remember sprinkling clothes - we used a octogon shaped ketchup bottle with a cork/sprinkler top. We also folded (rolled) the clothes and kept them in the freezer until we were ready to iron. I also remember the oil cloth on the kitchen table. It seems mother would buy new around easter to brighten up out cute little farm kitchen!!