Friday thing : [technically] a skillet mitt
Possibly the most genius hack I have ever instigated
When I started using a flat iron a bunch of years ago like a fancy fashionable person1 to the point that I would actually want to travel with it, I needed to figure out how to pack it after use without burning holes in my clothes. Letting it cool down before shoving in a suitcase was an obvious solution, but if you have ever stayed in a hotel with me, you know that I am one to get my money’s worth. This means not only doing the obvious like taking complimentary stationery2 and plastic laundry bags3 along with the leftover shampoo, conditioner, and soap but also leisurely using the room until the final minutes4 before check-out. And so, I was often unplugging the red-hot flat iron moments before we needed to leave; most of the time a cold, wet washcloth wrapped around the plates for a minute would cool it enough to not scorch anything but still made me nervous if we were traveling very long.
When I went searching online for a flat iron travel cover, they all seemed a silly price for something I only needed occasionally at the time. I had resigned myself to using the cold wet washcloth method (because getting ready earlier was out of the question I WAS ON VACATION) until I stumbled upon a ‘skillet mitt’ at Tender Loving Empire, my favorite tchotchke store - incidentally their PDX location when I was heading out on a trip. I had never thought of needing a ‘skillet mitt’ because I have regular oven mitts in my kitchen but leave it to a Portlandia entrepreneur5 to think of the hardy outdoorsy folk [passing through the airport] and their hot-handled cast iron skillets. Yet I was drawn to these darling little cushioned cloth covers in a variety of patterns from old-fashioned grandma-kitchen to groovy mod to whimsical animal prints - including birds, of course. I stared at the basket of them, trying to figure out what I could use one for (short of actually purchasing a cast iron skillet) and suddenly realized it was exactly the size of my flat iron.
At $10, it was far cheaper than most of what I had seen online and likely much more durable. And it is made by a woman (Angie) in Portland who seems far too good to be a real person but I hope she is.
When I bought it, I excitedly told the salesclerk what I was getting it for but she seemed only mildly interested6. Last year I told another salesclerk and finally got exactly the enthusiastic, impressed reaction I thought was appropriate7. I dedicate this post to her (and Angie at Collisionware, of course).
It always takes me an absurd amount of time to do normal self-care things like schedule regular haircuts with the same person and use department store makeup so employing a flat iron versus simply hoping really hard that my hair would change shape on its own was a big deal.
I just sent my besties their Valentines in an envelope from the Bangkok hotel we stayed in together in 2017.
Pro Tip: Stash in your suitcase for future needs - obviously to separate dirty clothes during a trip but also for wet swimsuits or packing food/drink from your trip. I used [a clean] one last weekend for a convention guest to carry his gifts from fans.
On the few occasions when we had to leave early for a meeting or flight, I was borderline despondent and definitely bitter.
Collisionware also sells regular oven mitts as well as pot holders and other very cute handmade items, you should shop there.
Probably an actual backpacker or cook…
You know, #Virgo.
How clever you are to have seen the true purpose of this item!
Brilliant! Commenting while sitting in a hotel room (on the way to a better beach house but still always taking advantage of a late check-out when we can). There are NO laundry bags here and I’m confused.