OK, When Was the Last Time You Ironed ?

the whole patina thing might be going too far

I'm watching a FB discussion involving some friends who have another mutual friends who washes his jeans twice a year as they (the jeans) lose their patina and become uncomfortable if they are washed too often.

I think patina is just a mixture of dirt and oil. Back in the old days of blue jeans (before Calvin Klein), jeans need to be washed a few times so they didn't feel like you were putting on a pair of plywood.

I think of patina as a function of wear over time, and sometimes that can be a look. So, a wrinkled linen shirt doesn't mean it's not new, and I stretched the usage of patina by somehow implying a wrinkled shirt has a real well worn patina.
I probably should have waxed on about my not minding a wrinkled shirt's character instead. I used to mind wrinkles, back in my ironing days of yore.
Now I'm wrinkle friendly.

"washes his jeans just twice a year.."

Unless he wears the jeans only twice a year you might want to stay upwind.

One of the great pleasures of wearing jeans was how soft they'd get over time, how the wear and tear and fraying and fading happened naturally.

"Now I'm wrinkle friendly."

And that's why we can be friends.

I wish that was the case - the word is the jeans are worn 3 - 5 days a week - washed 2x a year.

gak

I honestly can't remember.

I bought a clothes steamer--much faster to use, much more convenient, and really does a better job on a wider variety of fabrics. I love it!

Better steaming happy than steaming mad.

Why am I thinking of Brussels sprouts?

Firefly, tell me about your particular clothes steamer, please. I have one, probably a travel steamer, and tried it out once on one of my linen shirts. Eh!
Maybe, just maybe, I was impatient.

My wife only gets me ENRO shirts. They require very little or no ironing. When I travel upcountry to sites and then have to visit the clients offices, I need different clothes and I pack Enros in these vacuum bags. They pop out and come to full life almost unrinkled (except for the damn pocket).
We shore as hell do not iron undies, socks, cotton sweaters or tees. Only knit pants get ironed and several brands (like Brooks) dont wrinkle easily.

I originally used a travel steamer to get wrinkles out of clothes before I dashed out to work in the morning, and I still continue to use it once in a while for one or two items at a time.

But, because I wanted to be able to do more items at a time, and do them more easily, I bought this one a few years ago...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQRD0I/ref=oh_emp_details_o01__i01

Amazon also has a good variety of other steamers to choose from at varying price ranges. If you read the reviews on a sample of those, you can get a sense of what people like about them and what some feel are drawbacks. I'm pretty happy with mine.

Thanks, I'll put it on my wish list so I remember it, but I'll try the travel one again first, given my low monthly or even yearly need for wrinkle-freedom.

Ironing is a very good way to pass time in front of the TV. At least one is doing something useful while watching TV. I do iron, if not regularly but I find there are things that do need ironing. Cotton and linen clothes, pillowcases, tablecloth and napkins - the last item I also starch.

I haven't seen you around for awhile. Good to see you again.

thanks - haven´t had much to say, but lots to do in real life.

Good use of TV time, and you're not a couch potato. I haven't had a TV for nearly three years, another reason I don't iron.

Ya know, as excuses go, that one is sort of thin.

Yes, thin, and it also falls flat as a(n) (ironing) board.

I iron - all the time. I have a friend who irons her sheets. That'd be old school for sure. No underwear - but lots of khaki's and button downs. Hubs dress shirts go to the cleaners - but I take care of everything else. I kind of like it. It's cathartic to me - like chopping vegetables. I have a spray bottle with water and spray starch. I start with a pile or wrinkly clothes and when I am done everything is nice and smooth and crisp. Very nice. I can get all caught up in it. Odd I know. And I love the smell of lavendar starch. mmmmm

I never ever starched, and I'm proud.