more table cloth ironing....and what makes it easier

This morning I ironed another batch of table cloths. They are from top to bottom, a vintage (I think 1960's) cotton Indian and block print purchased at B.Altman's. It belonged to my friend Alan's mother. I got it when they closed up his mother's apartment a few years ago.and moved her to an assisted living in the neighborhood. She died a few weeks ago. I love that cloth.


Next is a hand loomed cotton plaid that used to be my mother's. I remember using this cloth for meat meals while I was in high school. It shrank and no longer fit her table. We used to use heavy hand loomed table cloths for weekday meals and a more refined white cloth for Shabbat. My mother gave this cloth to me several years ago.

On the bottom is a 1940's cotton print cloth that had been my mother in law's. It is one of the many things that made it to our apartment as my husband has had the difficult task of cleaning out his parents' home. This cloth has not just strawberries, a '40's favorite, but also raspberries and cherries. it was the perfect cloth for my mother in law who always liked her guest to have lots of choice at the table. ( What if you didn't like chicken??? You could always have beef or chicken instead)

As I use these cloths and as I iron them I always thing about their first owners. And for what makes it easier to iron them??? a new discovery for me, heavy starch. My mother always preached the gospel of light starch. Heavy starch is a new discovery for me. I have gone to the heavy starch side. it makes the job of ironing table cloths much, much easier.