Everyone: Remember that I have given advice about dyed threads and the fact they may bleed when washed on a regular schedule. At this current time in history, lacemakers are making colored lace. They need to test dyed threads before making a time-consuming lace. If you are washing a white item trimmed with colored lace and embroidery for the first time, it is best to test each color with an eye dropper until water saturated, followed by being blotted with an absorbent white fabric or paper. If there is a problem, it may show (though not always) when you do this.. If the item is already in water and colors are running, you must not let that item dry because the color will set in the white fabric. It needs to be rinsed and rinsed. Sometimes, dye stains on white fabric will never come out. (Final rinse should be with distilled water, of course.) Remember that in the 4th Quarter, 20th Century, DMC changed dye formulas to comply with new clean water laws and issued - to shop owners - a list of color numbers that were not color-fast. You do not know which threads were affected. Yes, they should have made them color-fast and spread the cost over the entire line of threads. But... Please do not give old colored threads to younger members of your family for their first adventures into making lace or embroidery without pre-testing. Same with threads packaged into saved kits for events like an expected baby, family wedding sampler, etc. that they might spend a long time completing. And remember, just as you teach young people to wash their hands before cooking, teach them to wash their hands before doing any form of needlework. The problem is that they are more likely to make something that must be washed. If there is any disaster with wet cleaning, you've probably lost a 21st century needlewoman forever. You may share this information with your lace groups. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
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