Pre-washing fabric for hankies seems nearly an absolute, as the grain "trues"
up and you get a closer proximity to end result. Most hankies are finished "on
grain" and "trues up" after washing. Perhaps with most lace being made for
"show" since it is so time consuming, it isn't often washed, so some don't
think to do that for the fabric? A step taken that can save much time and
frustration when attaching lace.
My concern (as with all fine linens), is finding something that picks up a
stain or could attract pests after long lengths of tiem. I have picked up
linen cutwork placemats that I thought were absolutely immaculately clean to
find that some obscure thing must have touched it somehow, some way.
I wash my hands constantly when doing all forms of needlework to avoid some of
this, but wonder if something is found decades later it could greatly
depreciate the quality?
This comes up on knit lists frequently where people dress/block their knitted
lace or lace knitting and it wasn't really "washed" and dressed and problems
show up later. Perhaps I am old-school. It is just like one's hair, if washed
it is taken to it's ideal (and with a quality product/cleanser)... a more
beautiful "hand," and a truer response/outcome.
In the old days, higher grades of yard goods were "nipped" and then ripped when
purchased so they were "on grain," and then you went home and pulled on it to
get it "true." If not, then a thread was pulled to reveal the true grain and
then cut on that line. This was done even for regular sewn garments, just to
make sure all measurements and cuts were on grain, and becomes paramount with
more sophisticated garments where the grain can be used to advantage (bias with
charmeuse would be one simple example).
So you pull a thread to get the true grain, and with a hankie it would be done
on four sides. Other threads may be drawn for thread work also, but that is
different and in addition.
That brings to question, "What is one's preferred technique for attaching lace?
Do you like buttonhole for it's strength and heaviness or back stitch, an
invisible stitch, feather stitch for a lacey attachment for something very
delicate, in ad finitum..." Of course the heft of the lace and the fabric all
factors in.
This would be interesting and fun to talk about, (but perhaps has been
before...)
Best,
Susan Reishus
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