Vila If you are talking about bobbin lace, then yes, washing will spoil the appearance and you will never get the lace back to its original condition, unless you block it very carefully. By very carefully I mean that while it is still wet pin it down using every pinhole on the outer perimeter of the lace. (This will take an hour or more.) This is why bobbin lacers have a tradition of covering their lace carefully when they are not working on it, frequent hand washing, etc.
But there is is way to shrink the lace so it won't pucker. Get a large flat surface, like a mirror or a large piece of acrylic, larger than the lace. Lay the lace on it, put hot tapwater in a plant-mister bottle and spray the lace, drench it, all over. Then just leave it on the flat surface, don't move it, touch it or fiddle with it. Just let it dry by itself. This may take as much as 24 hours, depending on humidity. When it dries it will be virtually the same as when the lace was finished. If you really do need to wash the lace, when washed lay it on a flat surface, as above for misting. Carefully push the scallops into shape with your fingers. When the lace dries it will be 90-95% of its original condition. This method comes from Elizabeth Kurella, and it does work. Lorelei Halley - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
