Dear Lesley and Others Interested in Lace Care, My complete lace washing instructions have been referred to Arachne members numerous times since 1995. I do not have a Web Site, and the one it was on (Honiton Lace) has been taken down. Fair notice was given to all to print out my various memos on lace care and put in a book, because when something disastrous happens you need to respond as soon as possible.. In this case, I think you need to block the lace to the shape of the pattern, though the hot water will have shrunk lace a bit.. It has already been wet. Re-rinse it, this time in room temperature distilled water to get out some of the harmful detergent and (probably) minerals in the water you used for your family wash.. Lift out of water to a towel, shape it roughly into a flat piece, and blot excess water out of it. Put the towel aside. Lay lace on a very very clean waterproof flat surface and finger press it into the shape you want, referring back to your pattern. Lace dries quite quickly, so within hours it will be done. Finger pressing gives just a limited amount of heat. There is probably some remaining sizing in the thread that should firm up the edge.. If this fails, re-wet with distilled water. Finger press into shape on top of a acid-free flat piece of white cloth (like a pillow case) that you have laid on a ironing board. Cover with a clean lightweight piece of white fabric, and press. Use the least amount of heat that will do the job. Another thought: You could very slightly reduce the size of your pattern on a printer. Cover with a clear waterproof product (I don't know names in your country) -- waterproof so the ink of the copied pattern will not migrate into the lace. Lay it on your lacemaking pillow or a surface you can pin into. Shape the lace on this smaller pattern. Pin the lace in strategic places to block. Remove just as soon as it is dry. No matter the material the pins are made of, never leave metals in contact with damp or wet lace longer than necessary. Two bonus tips: (1) Those of us who learn to conserve laces are familiar with the terrible staining that metal hooks and snaps can make on fashion items put in storage. Museums have temperature/humidity under control. Private owners think the storage trunk or drawer will be dry, but there is moisture in the air in most countries, and that can lead to staining from metals over a period of time. (2) If you have a lace collection, check everything at least once a year. Pick a day (such as _Lace@Arachne's_ (mailto:Lace@Arachne's) birthday, April 12th) and put this task on your calendar - every year.. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
In a message dated 4/8/2011 6:11:34 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, lesley.blacks...@ntlworld.com writes: The sun was shining brightly in a blue sky yesterday so I was unusually full of housework enthusiasm. One of the things I grabbed to go into the wash was one of my cover cloths which was lying on the sideboard. I didn't stop to wonder why it was there but was reminded when I opened the washing machine, which had been on a hot wash, to find the pice of lace I'd recently finished, apart from sewing in the ends, which I'd carefully placed inside a cover cloth to keep it clean. Yes, THAT cover cloth. So, I now turn to you, my Arachne friends, to ask, is all lost? Can I save the shrivelled piece of blue fabric that was to be a table mat for my spare bedroom? I've tried pressing it, but the corners pull out more than the middle so it's somewhat wavy round the edges and I'm at a loss as to whether it is rescuable or whether I should start again. In hope, Lesley - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
