Dear Jeri et al, I not only read your last long email concerning washing, written April 8, 2011, I recorded it in my lace file for future reference. I admit, I didn't go back to the archives that I recall, but I do read your emails, and keep them. They are invaluable. I have also saved this, your latest email in the same file. Need to find the one about one's own distilled water, though. And find out about the cleaning protocols of the Altar Guild. They may not have any, though. I think it's washing machine. Wet ironing of linens, I know.. But it pays to find out. I doubt we have iron in our water, but we certainly do have calcium. Will that cause any problems? I was going to use Orvus anyway. I think I even have some, somewhere. If not, there are some serious quilting stores around. Not surprising, considering it's Lancaster, PA. And the church has switched to oil lamps that look like candles, which means no dyes, no wax, no carbon to turn stones black. Red wine is another issue, but never at the chapel altar. The high altar is a different matter. I was planning on doing two squares and shrinking them, to see the difference between off-the-pins and shrunk before making calculations as to length needed. The fact that the squares are 2 1/2 inches square could be a trifle difficult making it fit.
The idea with boiling water is that the likelihood is that it will NOT be used to clean. But by using boiling water, it will not shrink any more thanthat due to heat. No matter who does what. Boiling distilled water, of course. Thank you so much for your concern, and, even more, for the knowledge which you are willing to share. lrb Jeri Ames wrote: Dear Lyn, Have you read my many, many, MANY conservation memos to Arachne? They can be found at http://www.mai l-archive.com/[email protected]/index.html. Search by my name. The information is a gift. The specific issues you raise have to do with wet cleaning and shrinking. I would pre-shrink the linen, using the method the Altar Guild will use. Will that be boiling water? I think not, since it could be too harsh. But hot is certainly a distinct possibility. (The Guild probably has written guidelines; if not, you could provide them.) I also think I would do a test piece of the lace in the thread that will be used, measure, wet clean using method that will be used for finished piece, and calculate how much extra lace yardage you will need to complete the cloth. I think I would work about 12 inches, and after you've finished the altar cloth, give this separate test piece to the Altar Guild to keep (with written care instructions) to use if a section gets damaged and needs replacing in future. Presumably, they know how to do this type of sewing. A warning about tap water: Today's water is polluted by sometimes filthy air and both natural and man-made chemicals that get into water supplies without your knowledge. You live in a city, and that means your water has had a variety of chemical treatments before it emerges from your faucet. Long-term effects of modern chemicals on textiles are of concern, since you expect the altar cloth to last a long time and be treated as a church treasure. I have warned about this repeatedly on Arachne, because I have seen the results of water damage in the numerous museum-sponsored classes I have taken on conservation and restoration -- at considerable personal expense -- in the $thousands$.. I keep telling Arachne this, but it is not registering. Heed the recommendation that distilled or de-ionized water should be used - please!. Diane Z mentioned washing lace in a machine, and that is personal lace so I'll not preach. But, Diane lives in Maine, where most household water comes from wells. My Maine well water has been tested and has high levels of iron (which cannot be seen by the naked eye, but can show up some time later as rust spots that cannot be removed). Iron can eat holes in textiles. In addition, Maine well water has a high level of manganese. This causes laundered white items to gradually turn yellowish. Therefore, for those of you using well water, you may want to wash your laces in distilled or de-ionized water. In previous memos, I have described how to gather distilled water at home. Consumers do not know that soap formulas are subject to change, and manufacturers don't reveal this. Therefore, stick with the museum-approved soap called Orvus, from Procter & Gamble. (See previous memos for more information.) May I also suggest that colored candles never be used on tables covered by fine linens? The dyes in wax candles cannot be identified, and usually cannot be removed. "My email sends out an automatic message. Arachne members, please ignore it. I read your emails." - 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/albums/most-recent
