Washing lines

It can be read either way.

Lucca the OP mentioned that someone had told her it was ‘common’ to hang out her laundry. I don’t think she meant it in the sense of it being a common practice. That’s how I read it anyway.

Yes my washing goes on my line - knickers included!
I love to see a line of washing, especially a white wash.
I have changed the bed today so a line of bedding is out on the line right now

Yes indeed Lucca
Common in the sense that most people do it.
I have always and do always prefer to hang my washing on a line, not a whirligig.
Nothing beats the smell of air-dried items especially if it's a blowy day or grass has been freshly cut.
One of life's little pleasures... for ladies at least.

Charleygirl5 Do you mean that the lines were full of saris and dhotis?

My washing goes on the line unless it’s raining nothing better than line dried bedding and towels.

Ex neighbours of mine went house hunting a few years ago and did not buy the house having looked at the nearby lines of washing. Racist is the word which springs to mind.

I’m assuming that Gabriella was meaning it is common practice. I hope. I have a titled relative who definitely hangs out washing so common in the hideous snobbish sense is wrong too. I can’t as I live in a first floor flat and I miss it.

This thread brings back fond memories of my Mother, whos bedroom window comanded clear views over the back gardens of about 30 teraced houses, all with long washing lines the full length of them! Although we didnt know much about their.occupants, Mum often would give them nicknames based on their laundry and washing habbits!
We had Catalogue queen, always the latest fashion colours in bedding and towels blowing on the line, and always a Whitearrow delivery van at her door with parcels from Kays Catalogue being delivered most weeks!
Then their was dirty breachers, big white cotton pantaloons on the line with badly stained gussets, and the colour of the grey water down our outside drain!
Then their was Mr Kinky, a retired policeman, whos washing line often had ladies underwear hung upto dry, even though no lady lived there, or was seen to visit!
Babies arrivals were announced by the tiny nightgowns (both for boys and girls) that blew.on the lines, Weddings and funerals were often spotted by the best white linen tablecloths used for the reception or wake blowing in the wind, and illness by the amount of nightwear and bedding being laundered, until it sometimes sudenly stopped if the person had moved into the Manorhospital, the local carehome of the day, or had suddenly passed away.

I love to see washing hanging on the line (mine is a whirly thing too). No, it's not common

I always hang my washing out, weather permitting. I do not possess a tumble drier and if I can dry my clothes for free why pay?

My neighbours two doors away only use their tumble drier- that is their problem if they want to waste money.

Remember how satisfying it was to have a line of freshly washed nappies hanging on the line? You were judged by how white they were! The sunshine helped to sterilise them.

Hanging out underwear is common but there are no laws...so if you want the world to see what sort of knickers you wear...go ahead!

Nice poem, Elegran. I remember the other short one from an entry in my autograph book back in schooldays.

Personally, I have always hung my laundry out to dry. Only use the tumble drier in desperate circumstances as electricity is quite expensive here.

I think it is common sense to hang it out if weather permits, certainly not ‘common’, whatever that’s supposed to mean.

I was looking for that short poem about nighties and pyjamas next to each other, and found some others. (eventually found it and added it at end of this post) Here is one of the others:-

A Clothesline Poem

A clothesline was a news forecast, to neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep, when clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link, for neighbors always knew,
If company had stopped on by, to spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the fancy sheets and towels upon the line;
You'd see the company tablecloths, with intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth, to folks who lived inside,
As brand new infant clothes were hung, so carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could so readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed, you'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck, as extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too, haphazardly were strung.

It said "Gone on vacation now", when lines hung limp and bare.
It told "We're back!" when full lines sagged, with not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon, if sheets were dingy grey,
As neighbours carefully raised their brows, and looked disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past, for dryers make work less,
Now what goes on inside a home, is anybody's guess.

I really miss that way of life; it was a friendly sign,
When neighbors knew each other best, by what was hanging on the line.
by Marilyn K. Walker

More clothes-line poems at www.clotheslines.com/poems and even more online if you search.

Found the one I was looking for :-
I love, I love, I love you almighty
I wish your pyjamas were next to my nighty
Don't be mistaken, don't be misled
I mean on the washing line, not in the bed!

Always hang washing outside. Don’t possess a tumble dryer. Not bothered if it’s considered common or not, not ashamed for anyone to see my washing.

Just put my washing out on the whirligig. Love washing that has been outside. My husband has just hung his shirts above the aga to dry. We have a pulley above the aga. My DD never hangs out clothes nor does she iron anything unfortunately.

I love drying my washing on the whirlie. No smell like it! Yesterday I threw a few items on an airer and put it in the sun next to the front door. I’m out in the country, the garden in front of my cottage is the garden and I’m proud of my Brigitte Jones knickers ?

Last winter my husband suddenly said “I bloody love winter”! I couldn’t think what he meant ...then realise winter meant tumble dried towels. So very soft for the delicate fellow!

It's cheaper that's all

My mum never washed on the Sabbath. Only thing she did was cook.

______dead common !

My late mother also thought having visible washing was beyond the pale. She had a thing about dustbins being seen, too. So naturally I made a point of showing both to the world!

What's nicer than fresh smelling towels and bedding dried outside ? Sunshine also gets rid of the odd stain too especially if it's table-cloths, well it helps.
I've got a whirligig but because of high fences around the garden area nobody notices. I love to see it all blowing in the breeze it gives you a great feeling of satisfaction.

It's something that would worry me greatly if I had nowhere to hang washing, it really would get me down. It doesn't take much to please me though.

I love hanging out washing and would hate to live somewhere where it wasn't allowed - how un-eco-friendly!

When we moved to a smaller town in rural Scotland from the city I did wonder if anyone would object to washing being hung out on a Sunday, but then I thought that if the Good Lord hadn't wanted me to hang out nappies he wouldn't have let me have children and then make it rain during the week!

Heard that in South America where you think washing would dry in two minutes, if they are better off they put them in the dryer! It's a status symbol apparently!