My mom had those pant stretchers also and did my dad's pants. He wore a "dickies type" work pants and they just came out better if she put them on the stretchers. Haven's seen them in years. An idea for my "good jeans".
I have mostly line dried for years. My mom did too when I was younger. We only washed on nice sunny days so we knew the clothes would get dry. I carried it over into my marriage, then my single life again. They do smell and feel "clean" after being in the sun to dry. I have a dryer, but probably haven't used it a dozen times in 20 years. It was nice for when I was waitressing, so I could wash those work clothes and get them dried quick. I don't mind the "crunchy" of the towels. The other day when I hung them, it was breezy enough that they were quite soft.