In a message dated 7/28/06 3:57:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> On Sat, 2006-07-29 at 03:09 +1000, David in Ballarat wrote: > > Dear Jean, > > Can those of you who are used to the kind of heat and humidity that we're > > experiencing give any tips on making lace in this weather, ie how do you > > stop your hand perspiring? > > In the old times lacemaker used bakingpowder, bicarbonate to wash the > hands. It seems it stops a little the sweeting and avoided the stains > sweeting made on the lace, especially needlelace. I never tried this, > all I do when my hands become sticky is to put them in cool water up to > the elbows dry and go back to work. > > Alix > from Luxembourg > ---------------------------- Dear Lacemakers, Regularly washing hands should be a habit of all people working with fine threads to make lace or embroider.You want to avoid combining perspiration with whatever "dirt" is in the air or already in the thread, because if it gets worked by fingers deep into the fibers it will not soak out in a wash.You must be aware, with the increased use of real metal threads, that they may tarnish easily. You cannot restore the original finish when real metal threads have been combined with cotton/linen/silk, because what will polish metal will damage cotton/linen/silk. I wrote to Arachne about washing hands with baking powder some time in the past. Cannot remember the source of the recommendation off the top of my head. If I wrote it - I considered the source reliable and the impact on the thread minimal. Excessive perspiration should be washed out of new lace to avoid future problems with discoloration and attracting micro-organisms. David: You wrote about using talc. If you put a small amount of talc in a dish, add a few drops of liquid, and try to blend them into a pasty substance, what happens? Is the result something that would attract dust/dirt/food particles (the way hand lotions do)? Please - would someone who washes hands with baking powder to reduce perspiration report on results to Arachne? 1. Does it work? And for how long are hands kept dry? 2. Any harm to skin? 3. Any harm to thread? (Cotton/linen/silk/synthetic and real metals) 4. Other observations? Jeri Ames in Maine Lace and Embroidery Resource Center. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
