"On a while lace handkie it eventually yellowed a bit, I think - Helen - you know about this! But on the ecru any yellowing does not show!!! :)"
In reply to Liz in Melbourne (yep, she would be my Mum), if it's the torchon handkie that I'm thinking of, the lace has indeed discoloured. I'd forgotten that that piece might've been starched in that way and was wondering about the discolouration source - I guess it explains it's 'starchiness' :-) The linen centre wasn't treated with the stiffening of pure/distilled turps and polystyrene foam, so has remained a snowy white. I think you last did this in the 80's, Mum? Wasn't there a Czech lacemaker in the Vic Branch of the ALG who'd go to the meetings who shared this stiffening technique with people? I know her name and I think she learnt lacemaking or textile arts at a Uni in Prague or somewhere in that region. I know you will know who I'm thinking of. Seems like (and this is casting my mind back 20 odd years) that it's done on the pillow, so you had to sew in your ends and trim them, then the pattern was covered with parchment (of the baking kind I think), and you had to be sure that every pin along the footside and headsides were in place and then you painted the turps/foam solution on very gently and let it air dry and ventilate. Once it had dried you could remove the pins and voila! Not sure how this solution would work with colours or silks. Helen, in overcast but dry Duvall, WA. - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
