Dear Lacemakers, For longterm life of thread and items made of it, a reminder that it is best to use distilled or de-ionized water, which may be difficult and costly to acquire.
If there is a special finish applied to the thread by the manufacturer (an example would be some form of sizing), I would think the extra step of pre-washing thread would increase the ability to absorb dust, perspiration from hands, etc. while the lace is being made. The making-up time is quite different from sewing clothing, where people are taught to pre-shrink. A piece of lace may be long in the making, and the risk of staining increases accordingly. You are faced with the options of slight shrinkage or shortening the life of thread by over-washing. I was taught by museum experts that every time you wash a textile, you shock the fibers and shorten its life. Washing often wears the textile more than daily use. Washing causes fibers to expand, then contract as they dry (or are pressed with a hot iron). The impact is usually not visible to the eye, but is cumulative. We need to remember that there are people on Arachne from many areas of the world where climates are not the same as our own. They face different challenges when they buy and use threads for making lace. Their solution may actually be best - for them, but not for you Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
