xt783b5w800g https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt783b5w800g/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.  journals kaes_circulars_004_540 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 540 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 540  2014 true xt783b5w800g section xt783b5w800g Are you using the best tools for the job and
, are they in good condition?
Do you have all supplies within easy reach?
U _ Do you sit to iron?
Could you change the order of ironing?
» Do you make both hands work?
Do you make one job do for two?
Could you leave out any part of the job?
Do you iron the easiest and quickest way?
University of Kentucky Q College of Agriculture and Home Eco-
I10II1lCS, EXl'€h$l0I1 Service Q FRANK J. WELCH, Dean and Director
CIRCULAR 540

 C 0 N T E N T S
Page
CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR METHODS OF IRONING? .............. 3
Removing Wash from Line .................................................. 3
Sprinkling .....................................A......................... , .......... 3 · `
Hand Ironing ...................................................................... 3
Folding ...... . ..............,........................................................ 4
CAN YOU IMPROVE DIFFICULT DETAILS? ............... . .............. 6
Ironing Slacks ..............................................................,..... 6 I
Ironing a Pleated Skirt .,.............................................,........ 6
Ironing Gathers .............,.................................................... 6 4
Sprinkling, Ironing and Folding a Shirt ....................,........... 6
Steps in sprinkling a Shirt ......... . ............................,... 6
Steps in ironing a Shirt (with illustrations) .................. 7
Steps in folding a Shirt .................................,.............. I I .·
CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR EQUIPMENT? .........................,.... II “
The Lap Table ..........,...................,..,..............,................. II
The Ironing Board ........................................,......,.........,.... I2 -
Irons . ,........,........,....... . .,...............,,....,.............................. I3
Seating Equipment , ...r.........,.....................................,......... I4 ·
Other Accessories .,............................................................ I4
CAN YOU GROUP EQUIPMENT TO SAVE MOTIONS? ...,........ I5 -`
CAN YOU PLAN A GOOD TIME FOR IRONING? ........................ I5
TIPS FOR YOU ·
Get rid of nonessentiols, such os foncy
doilies ond picino covers.
Use mots insteod of toble cloths —— some _
kinds need no Ioundering.
Scold dishes ond sove woshing dish towels.
Avoid use of intricote trimmings, ond of
colors thot fode.
Choose moteriols thot iron eosily or do not
hove to be ironed.
Isxuvd as HIC 1306. 9-5-3; rv-issiivrl as (Iirrulnr 540. 3-56,

 Ironing the Easier Way
· By Ida C. Hagman and Frances Stallard
CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR METHODS OF IRONING?
_ Removing Wash From Line
Fold articles to avoid wrinkles. A table placed near-by saves
4 steps and stooping; it gives a good place to fold and sort. Let
starched garments get bone dry. Unstarched articles may be taken
from the line when slightly damp, folded, and rolled for ironing.
lf a dryer is used, take out articles to be ironed before they are
- completely dry.
.. You will want to omit ironing wherever you can. Knit gar-
ments, corduroys, chenilles, and rubberized articles should never
. be ironed. Turkish towels and diapers are more absorbent un-
ironed. Some man-made fabrics require little or no ironing. Same
rayon fabrics spot unless they are ironed before they are entirely
dry. Sheets need not be ironed. Starched articles and outside
4 wearing apparel need careful ironing.
Sprinkling
Sprinkle clothes evenly and lightly. Too little water leaves
dry spots while too much dampening takes long ironing. Flick the
i water with a clean circular brush or whisk broom dipped in warm
` water. See illustration below. Or dampen with a perforated bottle
cap on a bottle, with a rubber spray bulb, or with tips of fingers.
Pull garments into shape as you sprinkle. Fold hems and
double thicknesses inside. Roll in firm, not tight, bundles. For the
family wash, pack the rolls in a basket in the order of use: last
things to be ironed will go in first. Cover the top snugly with a
clean cloth or piece of plastic.
Some people prefer dampening wash in a large plastic bag.
This is a quick method of sprinkling, but more desirable for a few
articles than for a large number of different type pieces.
ln warm weather, keep unironed dampened pieces in the re-
frigerator to prevent mildew.
Hand Ironing
Adapt the temperature of the iron to the fabric. Use a hot
iron on heavy linens and cottons; slightly less hot on lighter weight
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A circular brush is very satisfactory for sprinkling clothes evenly and quickly.
Notice the placing of unsprinkled articles in a basket to the right of the worker
and the sprinkled articles in a basket to her left. A bowl of water is conveniently 4
placed. This task can be done with greater ease when the worker is seated. _
linens and cottons. Decrease heat in this order as you iron wool, A
silk, and man-made fabrics. Set iron, if controlled, at the lowest
setting if you do not know the fiber. lf your iron is not controlled,
begin ironing man-made fabrics with a cool iron. Disconnect un- · ‘
controlled electric iron at the first sign of shine. lt is a good idea
to iron first things requiring the lowest temperature, then those
requiring higher temperatures, and then to taper off the ironing
with some requiring lower temperatures. lron the more difficult
garments before you get tired.
Arrange article on the board to get the most ironing surface.
With flattened palms, smooth out wrinkles from the center out. As
you iron, continue to smooth out and pull with one hand while you
iron with the other.
Guide the iron in stroight strokes with the thread of the ma-
terial. This is very important when ironing bias garments.
Do not becr down on the iron nor move it about rapidly. In
other words, do not make hard work of ironing.

 5
Iron each article, especially seams, until completely dry, other-
_ wise they will pucker when dry. Wool should be left slightly damp,
l then hung to dry.
Iron on wrong side all fabrics that get shiny when ironed on
right side——dark cottons, linens, silks, wools and man-made fibers.
. Use a press cloth when touching up difficult details on the right
side. When ironing black or other dark fabrics, cover the board
. with a dark cloth. Iron fabrics that have a raised surface on the
wrong side over extra padding. lf you prefer the pattern in damask
to stand out, iron the table cloth on the wrong side. lf you want
a shiny finish, iron it on the right side.
l T Iron embroidered articles on the right side, then on the wrong
' side, over a thick soft pad.
Iron extra parts first-—inset pockets, shoulder pads, facings,
` ruffles and trimming. Then iron the parts that dangle from the
board. Iron top of long garments, then the lower part. When iron-
ing a zipper, iron along sides of it when closed, never over it.
V . Touch up any parts that have been mussed. lf articles are care-
' fully handled during ironing, very little retouching need be done.
Folding
4 Fold flat pieces in convenient sizes for storage. Towels and
_ pillow cases are usually folded in thirds, then crosswise. Table
cloths and other large pieces may be folded as they are ironed.
Usually a lengthwise (occasionally crosswise) fold is made and one
T side ironed. Fold in center crosswise, and iron upper surface. Con-
tinue folding and ironing upper surface until all parts are ironed.
. . Change position of creases each time you iron the article.
lron large well-dampened damask dinner napkins on wrong
side. Then fold hemmed edges together with the top one a fourth
inch from the edge. lron the top side. Bring the folded edge to
within a fourth inch of the edge and iron the top side. Fold right-
handed selvage to within a fourth inch of opposite end. Iron; again
fold within a fourth inch of the edge and press. Press top side. No
folds will show beyond the square and the napkin may be placed
with open edges toward place and edge of table.
lf sheets are ironed, fold so that four thicknesses may be ironed
at a time. lroning the hem alone may be enough if sheets are
folded smoothly when taken from the line.
Hang flat pieces on a rack to dry. Hang blouses, dresses, skirts
on hangers as soon as they are ironed. Shirts, too, should be hung
on hangers if they are not to be folded.

 6
CAN YOU IMPROVE DIFFICULT DETAILS?
inormac s|.Acii.:A·r:¤ sxmt
Lay, pin, or baste pleats in place as shown .
in illustration at left. Iron from the bottom to
top of skirt, first on right, then on wrong side.
\ IRONING GA·ri—izns .
$ Work in and out,Vas
shown in illustration
\ at left — never over
the gathers.
X
Sprinkling, Ironing, and Folding ¤ Shirt
stars in si>niru!f ’ =.lr*“?il'  it lalllwll f‘~ 
_ Place right sleeve with placket side ` J  l       ,_ 
up. Smooth with hands toward shoul- _   ( ’ Q   ; / lv"   
der and cuff. Start ironing at center `~ ¤__· · ._   V lf/ .h  llV. ",, .
i  f sleeve toward shoulder.    5 ·V_  . i   il l:   lv I
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Change iron to left hand, iron into l y  ,__V V ‘  V   [ 4 `
he cuff, shift iron to right hand, iron VV ` ` ‘ "  ·’ kw ; V _V_
nside of cuff. Turn the sleeve over. {V r ·      °
 ron in the same manner as the first 2 ,_V‘   X" ··`
 ide of sleeve was ironed. 'VIV ' _  VV ’  
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`   (  - " , w;r;Q’ ·’·v   gfffv   VVVV   lron the outside of collar and inside _
Alb, , sa l,   ,       of band. When there is extra fullness
" i ~`“*‘/"   `,,» [ . . .
  · A ’fy~..__Q   {key!   an collar, iron from points toward
  center and from collar edge toward
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_'  i if ~— L" ;"`* ` j '   1 Fold the yoke back upon shirt. lron
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Z   ‘. ·   __   .,\ To put shirt in position to iron
  i ‘—   . {  »_ other sleeve, cross arms, grasp shirt
f i   . at top of sleeves, lift shirt and place
 ' a _ \`;__ Y — * _ {i _ _·»_ L _..· _ eg, unironed sleeve with placket side up
..- ' l"`<¢_`k\  · `   _ and ironed sleeve hanging off ironing
{Kg K   i; `»*‘   ’     \ surface. Iron sleeve in the same man-
. \"`$· Q "}     V ner as first sleeve was ironed. Iron
\i ’ ` `  ~~   ’     the other side of collar and band.
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Grasp the shirt at shoulders and ·!     V       l V   -· J" 
give it a one-fourth turn to right so \·· l l/_n       ‘ I   _  
that it is lengthwise on board with V V; ·—\`l F ` `*Tg_____ ,  "' Q`
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fronts up and collar to left end of ‘ — / 4—r.· .  -I Yiiisy 
ironing surface. - V ,»   , Y    
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Iron inside left half of back and _· ’
yoke of shirt. Iron seams dry. ` g   wi.,
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Lay unironed left shirt front over       V   F w. 
ironed back. Iron buttonhole band.   "*~»,, T'
Lay folded turkish towel on shirt. V-i§h\“.\’, ..1 A 
Fold band over it. lron band on l  `,_,,  
wrong side. Turn band back in place.    
Remove towel. Finish ironing left i. V
front. ·   F V

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“ 4     Iron unfinished shirt back.
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/»’ ·’   ·’·V .· _;,j;;zj[y   .   Lay umroned right shirt front over
\ . -·/ J ` v_     ‘_    the ironed back. Lay turkish towel _·
·_ fx `\ ·_ · _**~ L_  “ , on right shirt front. Turn button
/ _   I { l ' band back on the towel. Stretch and
_V_ _ ____   V 4  4  [P r  {fl   ;(/if iron dry.
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/. S .z<‘ Lay thc shirt front flat. Remove
i   towel. Iron the right front.
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 11
A
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· . stars in roi.¤iNa A sumt `
‘ a. Shirt front up.
y b. Grasp yoke with left hand, and tail of shirt with right hand.
c. Fold right side about half-way dawn between collar and arm-
hole.
d. Bring the fold the full length of shirt.
i e. Bring the top edge of sleeve along this fold.
f. Turn the fold and the sleeve back under the body of the shirt.
g. Repeat process on the right side.
I h. Put left hand under the shirt, lift the shirt, with right hand
I bring the tail of shirt under the top.
I. Leave about six inches of the shirt to tuck under the yoke, to
hold the folded shirt in place.
I CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR EQUIPMENT?
The Lap Table
A Lap Table makes it possible to iron at a comfortable working
height while seated. All flat work, shirts, tailored blouses, and
many other articles can be satisfactorily ironed on the table. The
table top that is finished with heavy duty floor sealer is not injured
by heat and moisture. Cement asbestos sheeting, cut to the size of
the table, protects the linoleum-covered surface and those finished
with enamel, varnish, or shellac.
I Padding—/vlattress pad material, several thickness of old blan-
ket, or similar material make a good pad. Cut the pad the size
of the table and bind edges with bias tape. Elastic tape attached

 12
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A table that can be pulled over the lap is useful when ironing and for many
other purposes. The iron stand clamped to the end of the table makes it easy to
slide the iron out of the way when not needed, and saves much energy required
to raise and lower it. ·
across corners makes it easy to slip the pad on and off. New
material should be pre—shrunk. Two pads the weight of mattress
pads are needed to give the desired thickness and are easier to
Iaunder than one heavy pad.
Cover.-Make the cover of firmly woven, lint free, pre—shrunk
material shaped to fit the table. Finish with a half-inch hem or .
bind with bias tape. Enclose a four-inch length of elastic tape in "
the casing at the corners, draw up the corner fullness to fit over i
table edges, and sew ends of elastic firmly in place. Or, attach
strips of woven tape at each corner of the cover so that they can
be wrapped around the legs and tied.
The Ironing Board
An ironing board with a narrow end is useful for ironing certain
articles. The board should be steady and of comfortable height
and width. One can be bought that is adjustable for comfortable
standing and sitting heights. A sleeve board is handy for ironing ‘
sleeves without creases or wrinkles, and for hard-to-get-at blouses
and children's clothing.

 13
Padding of enough thickness to give spring is desirable. Too
much padding makes the board cushiony. Padding should be
. smooth, free from ridges and seams. The pads may be bought or
home—made. Several layers of old blankets or similar material may
be used for the purpose. To make the pad, cut the cover to fit
the top and thickness of the board. Make a cap of muslin to fit
_ over the end of the board. Bind the edges. Fasten the wide end of
the pad to the board with thumb tacks.
Covers.-Have at least two covers, of firmly woven, lint-free
material. lf you make the cover, cut it 4" wider than the shaped
pad. Shape the end by darting the extra material beneath the nar-
row end of board. Finish the broad end with a shaped facing and
l ` a draw string. Hem the sides and at the same time place two or
' three pairs of tapes along the sides. lllustration shows under side
of covered board.
(ra
V
Underside of covered ironing board
Wash cover frequently. A scorched cover will yellow articles
.~ ironed on it. Bleach a stained cover with chlorine solution.
“ Irons
Most electric hond irons have cords attached. lf your iron has
a removable cord, connect and disconnect it at the wall socket
and not at the iron. Avoid kinks and sharp bends in cord when
you put it away. lf the iron has automatic control, set the control
correctly. Keep the upper part of the iron bright and shining with
o polish cloth or with occasional cleaning with silver polish.
The sole—plate of the iron, while it is still warm, should be
rubbed occasionally with paraffin. Burned-in starch should be
. removed after the iron has cooled by washing with a dampened
soapy cloth or with very fine steel wool.
An automatic ironer saves much energy after you have learned
to use it.

 14
Steam irons are useful for pressing woolens, silks, and man-
made fibers, but they do not replace the dry electric iron for iron-
ing cottons and linens. Some are constructed for use as a dry iron
or steam iron. The manufacturers’ directions for use and care of
the steam iron should be carefully followed. V
Seating Equipment
StooI.—When ironing at a board that cannot be adjusted to
correct height, use a stool of comfortable height with back and
footrest to lessen fatigue. When ironing at ci low ironing board ·
or lap table, use a chair that fits the body when you sit well back
in the chair with your feet on the floor. lf you must stand, use a
rubber pad or rug to ease the strain.
Other Accessories
Drying rack, hangers, and a table are useful for airing ironed . .
articles until they are ready to be stored. It saves time later if _
things to be stored at the same place are grouped together.
A bowl of water, sponge, or cloth are needed for dampening
parts of an article that do not iron smooth.
A device to keep the electric cord out of the way is a great
time and energy saver. Many devices are sold on the market for
this purpose, but a cup-hook, piece of cord and a plumb—weight ‘
will also keep the cord from getting in the way.
l
’ s
•.

 15
CAN YOU GROUP EQUIPMENT TO SAVE MOTlONS?
Put the ironing board, or ironer where there is good light, air,
and space. Place equipment to save steps and stretching, the
I basket of dampened clothes near—by, raised to prevent stooping,
and a table and rack within convenient reach so that you do not
have to get up to hang or lay articles.
_ Store ironing supplies and equipment near the place where
ironing is done.
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