Oh the iron-y and other pressing issues

It seems I've been on a mission of late. Cindy started it when she mentioned her new iron a few days ago. I've never owned a Rowenta, but I can relate to the problem of a leaking iron. I go through irons like some people change shoes. Perhaps it is because the ironing board is always ready to go in the event I start making some blocks. More likely it is because in my rough and tumble household of teenage males there is always a football, skateboard, or other flying object knocking the iron to the floor. The water tank cracks and I am again the proud owner of yet another leaking steam iron. Can't bring myself to part with them. After all, the "dry" setting still works!! (Rolling my eyes here at the depths to which I will stoop to justify my propensity to remain a packrat).

No, I didn't rush right out and buy a new iron (I substitute steam for a nearby, handy spray bottle of water should it become necessary). Instead I bought soleplate cleaner and put myself to work cleaning all the burned gunk off the bottom of my existing irons, the cracked-tank population included. So that you don't have to wonder how the gunk gets on the iron just by simply pressing seams while I construct blocks, let me alleviate your curiosity. KIDS!! More specifically, BOYS!!! Did I mention TEEN boys?

They never give a flying-fig about their appearance until there is a "woman" involved. Then all of the sudden even the grungiest t-shirt requires an ironed-to-perfection dewrinkling. At this point the desire to impress the young lady becomes so great that the boys take it upon themselves to do the task without benefit of asking MOM. (Wow! perhaps I did something right in their rearing if they are willing to save their poor, old, mother extra work. Too bad they forgot the cost of the cleaner, the elbow-grease, and the extra fabric to remake a block when it is discovered that scorched glue has now been transferred to the latest quilt project!!)

Did you know the speed at which the wrinkles disappear is directly proportional to the heat setting of the iron controls - the hotter the iron setting, the faster the wrinkles disappear? WRONG!! Especially if you happen to smooth across the rubbery, iron-on design associated with the preferred shirt at the highest possible setting. And that is how my perfectly good, leaking irons get covered with gunk.

Next noted was the deplorable condition of the ironing board cover. You gotta love 'em! They *tried* to get the glue off the iron while it was still hot. They really did... all over the edges of the cover. So now the relatively simple task of cleaning an iron (or two or three) has translated into a trip to yet another store to buy a new cover.

It took an entire afternoon to accomplish so little in a workspace covering no more area than a square yard. Rest assured I felt satisfied.... now the iron and the board are renewed and ready for the next quilt blocks to be made.... or for the next wrinkled t-shirt; whichever comes first!!

Until the next time.....