>From the perspective of conservation/restoration of lace and textiles:  Until aerosol dispensers were developed, starching requirements for very open lace grounds today would have been very difficult. Perhaps it could have been done with a paint or pastry brush, but it would have been messy. Starching was usually done by immersing an item in starch that was made from boiling potatoes down to a slurry mixture. If the mixture was not sufficiently strained through cheesecloth or something similar to remove small particles, these concentrations attracted micro-organisms that found a tasty potato meal. In the process of consuming these, they left behind round holes (they ate the fibers under the bits of starch). I have a late 18th C. handkerchief - shown during my NELG talk last month - that is a perfect example for teaching about what caused tiny round holes in textiles.  Let us consider the modern - synthetic - starches that are sprayed on lace. We might try to remember when products like hair spray came into use. I think it was after WWII. In 1960, I worked for a Yale chemist who developed an automotive product - de-icer - that needed a delivery system. He went to Alcoa and they came up with a spray can. In those days, car door locks iced up in freezing weather so keys could not be inserted. It was also convenient to spray icy windshields and rear windows - for safety. Now, you remotely unlock car doors and push a button on your dashboard to spray on windshield cleaners that contain de-icers in locations with Winter climates.  After inventions have occurred, innovations become possible. Eventually, some are used by artists.  Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center ----------------------------------------------------  In a message dated 5/10/2018 9:50:27 AM Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes:  One interesting thing that has emerged from private correspondence about new grounds is that many of the new grounds have to be starched on the pillow to avoid collapsing. This had never occurred to me. Does this signify that, lace innovators are thinking more in terms of fiber art than items that are wearables that must withstand washing?
- To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
