I'm curious what Jeri Ames has to say about oxygen bleaches. I use it a lot
in my laundry and have always had very nice results even with silk. Would
this be an option?
Linda, the string-a-holic in Oregon where we are having record breaking
heat - enough to remind me why I left Phoenix!!!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adele Shaak" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 11:34 AM
Subject: Re: [lace] age discoloration
Hi:
One question - when you say it's old, how old do you mean? 1720? 1820?
1920? (I once had a customer tell me her book was very old indeed - her
grandmother gave it to her mother, her mother gave it to her, and now her
mother was gone ... I thought it had to be at least 1880, and when she
brought it in for repair, it was 1976. One person's old is another
person's yesterday.)
If it's old enough to be very scarce and very delicate, you could soak it
in distilled water for a while (like, a few days). Maybe add a tiny amount
of hydrogen peroxide, but water alone will often make a big difference. If
you're lightening the lace with peroxide, a lot of the lightening will
take place after the piece is out of the water, as it is drying, so don't
despair if you don't see a lot of change while it is still in the water.
The good thing about soaking in water alone is that you don't damage the
lace while you're doing it, so if it doesn't work you haven't wrecked
anything.
Maybe you know this already, but just in case somebody else is reading
this and doesn't know - if you soak lace, be careful about taking it out -
water weighs a lot, and you can damage laces by removing them from the
water while they are unsupported - slip a bit of net underneath the lace
before you soak it, drain the water out before you lift the lace, and use
the net to lift the wet lace out of the container.
If the lace is "old, but not *that* old" it will likely be more robust;
I'd still soak it, but maybe I'd use soap or something else that's going
to work a little faster.
You paid less than $1 a yard for it; to my way of thinking even if it
doesn't lighten to a colour you like, you'll get more than $20 worth of
experience and knowledge as you try to lighten it. I'd keep the lace, look
on it as a learning opportunity, and give it a go.
Adele
North Vancouver, BC
(west coast of Canada)
The pattern is pretty, but the color really is not. I wouldn't use it as
it is. It's not a pretty yellowish to my eyes - and really quite dark on
the exposed end, but I could cut that off I wouldn't use a real bleach on
it - I learned my lesson the hard on that years ago. But I certainly
wouldn't use it without trying to light it up a bit. I don't know if
anyone would ... maybe. Who knows?
it's a delicate lace, but in good shape, other than the color, and I'm a
little miffed that she obviously had some photoshopping done on it, to
make it look that pretty white color, which I really wish it was.
I hate to let it go to waste though. Paid about $20 for 11 yards for it,
to give you some idea. Not a major investment. But.
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