Instant local celeb, AKA "How to fold a tee shirt"

[djm]

I bought one of those gizmos advertised on tv. It is a plastic board with extra wings all round. Lay the shirt on it, fold the left wing over, the right wing over, and then the top wing up, and you have a folded shirt, neat and tidy. Takes seconds. Unfortunately, no-one explained to the shirts that they are supposed to stay still on the board while the wings are folding back and forth. Also, I didn't realize how unevenly cut shirts are, so that they seldom if ever fit something of such regular shape and size as this folding gizmo.

I will try this origami technique on my next laundry adventure. I must admit I am intrigued.

djm

[Lambchop]

Where did the first page of this thread go??? I keep getting an error message.

[Jerry Freeman]

I can't figure out how they did it in the video.

Some of the parts took awhile for me to figure out.

1. You pick up the shirt on the far side, not the side closest to you.

2. You pinch the shirt as close to half of the overall length as you can estimate, making sure to take hold of both layers of cloth.

3. Where you take hold of the shoulder, take the smallest pinch you can easily hold.

4. Fold the shirt in half from top to bottom and take hold of the hem with the same fingers as the shoulders. This places your middle pinching hand inside the folded shirt.

5. Still holding on with both hands, pull the middle pinching hand out from inside. This turns the shirt right side out again after you've folded the front to the inside. This was the hardest part for me to figure out.

6. Let the shirt dangle from this hold so the wrinkles fall out and it hangs flat.

7. Make the final fold by dragging the hanging side of the shirt along the floor/tabletop and laying it down to place the fold where you want it.

8. Turn the shirt towards your audience, framing the top with your hands. Wait for your applause.

9. Repeat until either: 1. You get bored. 2. Your audience stops saying, "Do it again ... ."

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Lambchop]

<puts t-shirt back on> Ah ha. I see. This must work better with shirts that don't have curves molded into them.

[Jerry Freeman]

<puts t-shirt back on> Ah ha. I see. This must work better with shirts that don't have curves molded into them.

I would have to observe your technique to determine if that's the case. Would you mind repeating that, please?

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Innocent Bystander]

Innocent, what's a "simmet?"

What the difference between a T-shirt and a simmet is must be arcane indeed.

Too right, mate.

[Flyingcursor]

Umm, I lay the t-shirt face-down, then bring the side seams toward the center back, folding along a line about 1 cm
Innocent, what's a "simmet?"

You said "about". I'm appalled and dissapointed. I thought you had perfect theology and geometry yet you said "about 1 cm", not "exactly 1 cm." Oh Lamby, how can I ever love you again?



My valve will be permanently closed after this intrusion on decency and morality.

[Lambchop]

Umm, I lay the t-shirt face-down, then bring the side seams toward the center back, folding along a line about 1 cm
Innocent, what's a "simmet?"

You said "about". I'm appalled and dissapointed. I thought you had perfect theology and geometry yet you said "about 1 cm", not "exactly 1 cm." Oh Lamby, how can I ever love you again?



My valve will be permanently closed after this intrusion on decency and morality.

Relax, Fly. I said "about" because it varies with the type of t-shirt and the space available to store it.

Believe me, it's EXACTLY 1 cm on, say, little white stretchy t-shirts with a cute scoop neck. EXACTLY. But it's 0.5 cm on pink stretch lace sinnets. Always.

[Lambchop]

Simmets. <sorry!>

[Jack]

I thought you had perfect theology and geometry...

That's precious.

[Flyingcursor]

Umm, I lay the t-shirt face-down, then bring the side seams toward the center back, folding along a line about 1 cm
Innocent, what's a "simmet?"

You said "about". I'm appalled and dissapointed. I thought you had perfect theology and geometry yet you said "about 1 cm", not "exactly 1 cm." Oh Lamby, how can I ever love you again?



My valve will be permanently closed after this intrusion on decency and morality.

Relax, Fly. I said "about" because it varies with the type of t-shirt and the space available to store it.

Believe me, it's EXACTLY 1 cm on, say, little white stretchy t-shirts with a cute scoop neck. EXACTLY. But it's 0.5 cm on pink stretch lace sinnets. Always.

Whew! I'm better now.

[Lambchop]

I thought you had perfect theology and geometry...

That's precious.

You missed the literary reference, dear.

Fly, can I offer you a weenie?

[Flyingcursor]

I thought you had perfect theology and geometry...

That's precious.

You missed the literary reference, dear.

Fly, can I offer you a weenie?

Only if I don't have to drive one of those abominal carts around in return and be subject to the indignaties of the decadent youthful generation.

[Jack]

I thought of this literary reference:

I Stop Writing The Poem

to fold the clothes. No matter who lives
or who dies, I'm still a woman.
I'll always have plenty to do.
I bring the arms of his shirt
together. Nothing can stop
our tenderness. I'll get back
to the poem. I'll get back to being
a woman. But for now
there's a shirt, a giant shirt
in my hands, and somewhere a small girl
standing next to her mother
watching to see how it's done.

(emphasis added)