Monday, February 22, 2010

my mangle—an extinct beast

I bought my mangle, a.k.a. Kenmore automatic ironer, at an estate sale this winter for $12.50. I discovered it in a dank basement, probably left over from the early 50s.

Although it came with no instructions, the operation of my mangle is self-evident. Turn on to start heat. Push kneee pedal to make the roll go around. Push other knee pedal to engage the curved heated plate.

Recently I pre-washed some fabric for a lap-sized quilt project. When I pulled the damp fabric out of the washer, I pressed it all in the mangle in five minutes. Typically the same amount of fabric would take 1.5 hours to iron by hand. I'm thrilled with my “new” household appliance.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

mother/daughter quilt: delivered

Maple Stars, 2010, 53" x 43"
COLLECTION OF JANE BELYEA

Today my mother turned 83 and I turned up in Victoria with our finished mother/daughter quilt. During production, Mom admitted she wasn't too sure about the composition. Now she is very pleased with the results—so much so that the lap quilt’s new home is her living room.