All the Carickmacross instructions say to wash the net after the thick
thread has been
stitched down and silk fabric does not wash well. Is it strictly
necessary to
wash the piece?
I'm wondering *why* they want you to wash it. Can't be for
pre-shrinkage, since you've already worked on it. So, I assume it's
either for cleanliness or it's some kind of blocking.
Some people's hands leave a greyish discolouration on fine whitework;
maybe the washing is intended to counteract that. I don't have that
problem, so if I do fine white embroidery I don't need to wash for that
reason. As for the blocking, that is a personal thing so if you're
happy with the way the piece looks and you don't want to do it, don't.
On the other hand - when you say "silk fabric does not wash well" it
sounds like a general rule that you've learned, and not something
you've discovered through experimenting on this particular cloth. I've
had silk dresses you could throw in the washing machine.
I happened to have some silk organza sitting right beside me, so just
now I cut off a bit and washed it. I ran it under water, rubbed it
firmly on a bar of soap, rubbed it with my fingers and rinsed it
throughly. Other than a bit of ravelling at the cut edges (no more than
would have happened with fine cotton) the silk looks just like it did
when I started. So, perhaps you're worrying unnecessarily?
Hope this helps.
Adele
North Vancouver, BC
(west coast of Canada)
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