RE: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
Well, there is the traditional wash in cold water and hang in the sun treatment for the linen- in this case solar UV might be your friend! HTH Betsy -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Lavolta Press Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 5:21 PM To: Historical Costume Subject: Re: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics This fabric has a haven't seen the light of day since Kennedy was in office smell, but not a musty or mildew smell. Now, I'm much less sure than I was this morning! The light-reddish-brown mold doesn't smell. Fran ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
brown stains isn't really an option. I'll try the Oxyclean and see how it comes out. Next step would be dyeing, but I worry about getting an even job. I guess if all else fails I could get artistic with it. ;D If you get to the point where you want to try the artistic route -- I'd use a selection of similar colors and try for an effect similar to sponge painting on walls. Silk is so easy to dye -- you can sponge or squirt or drip acid dye in random patterns, wrap in plastic and steam (over water or nuke it); then rinse and repeat as often as you like. Buy some cheap silk scarves to practice with if you have something specific in mind (and keep notes!). I'm thinking of something like a very subtle camouflage (very subtle!) Several shades of greens and browns swirled together and overlapping until there is no real pattern just one color blending into the next. I think I'd make pair of silk pajamas and maybe a lovely summer night gown with the lightweight linen, but I can't help you with the historical suggestions... Denise B Iowa ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
All are natural ecru color. The problem is they have gotten brown age spots. Since I assume these are unused fabrics, and therefore don't have beverage spills or the like, what you are seeing is probably some form of mold. I know I can probably dye a darkish color to hide them, but I'm wondering if there is any way to remove the spots totally. Bleach may kill the mold, though that does not necessarily remove the stain the mold creates. Look up remedies for removing mildew. Mildew is little black specks, which can cluster together into a solid mass. Fabric can mold in other ways, but the methods for removing different molds are alike. There's a reddish-brown mold stain that I remove from antique white clothing with oxygen bleach. Luckily, I have not had to deal with it on colored clothing. (It helps me not to buy clothing with such stains to begin with.) The most effective way to cover the stains is probably to dye the fabrics. If stains are not widespread on a fabric, perhaps you could cut around them when cutting out. Note that mold spores get around; meaning that if you put these fabrics next to other fabrics or clothing, and the mold has not been killed, then your other fabrics and clothing may eventually acquire brown spots. Especially if they, or your general climate, is damp. It's true that mold spores are always floating around in the air, but you do significantly increase your chances of getting mold on a fabric by storing it right next to one that already has mold. Fran Lavolta Press Books on Historic Costuming http://www.lavoltapress.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
RE: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
Thanks, Fran, for your very helpful hints~! I hadn't thought this might be mold... hmmm... Yes, I live in the mid-Atlantic on the beach, and we have a considerable humidity issue year-round. Especially since the woman lives in a condo right on the beach. And yes, these are definitely brown, not black, stains, and the fabric was never used, only folded and stored for decades. How she stored it, I have no idea but I could ask next week. Could have been a nice trunk or chest, or it could have been a cardboard box at the bottom of the closet. I just don't know. I've no problem with oxy-bleaching the linens, but what about the silk? I know bleach will melt silk, is oxybleach the same threat? Since it isn't a high-shine silk to begin with it might be ok. Cutting around the brown stains isn't really an option. I'll try the Oxyclean and see how it comes out. Next step would be dyeing, but I worry about getting an even job. I guess if all else fails I could get artistic with it. ;D Linda -Original Message- On Behalf Of Lavolta Press The problem is they have gotten brown age spots. Since I assume these are unused fabrics, and therefore don't have beverage spills or the like, what you are seeing is probably some form of mold. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
Linda Rice wrote: Thanks, Fran, for your very helpful hints~! I hadn't thought this might be mold... hmmm... Yes, I live in the mid-Atlantic on the beach, and we have a considerable humidity issue year-round. Especially since the woman lives in a condo right on the beach. And yes, these are definitely brown, not black, stains, and the fabric was never used, only folded and stored for decades. How she stored it, I have no idea but I could ask next week. Could have been a nice trunk or chest, or it could have been a cardboard box at the bottom of the closet. I just don't know. If she lives right on the beach, it doesn't matter how she stored the fabric, mold is very likely. I've no problem with oxy-bleaching the linens, but what about the silk? I know bleach will melt silk, is oxybleach the same threat? I'd suggest test-bleaching a swatch. Since it isn't a high-shine silk to begin with it might be ok. Cutting around the brown stains isn't really an option. I'll try the Oxyclean and see how it comes out. Next step would be dyeing, but I worry about getting an even job. I guess if all else fails I could get artistic with it. ;D In my experience if you dye a light-colored fabric that has stains which are not too dark, and your dye is a deep to dark color, dyeing will often cover the stains fine. Fran ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
RE: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
Will do, and will let you know if I succeed. Thanks again, Linda [On Behalf Of Lavolta Press] I'd suggest test-bleaching a swatch. In my experience if you dye a light-colored fabric that has stains which are not too dark, and your dye is a deep to dark color, dyeing will often cover the stains fine. Fran ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
It is possible that the brown spots on the linen(?) fabric are permanent--cellulose will oxidize over time to form oxy-cellulose, and this change is non-reversible. Can you use the linen for linings and underpinnings of some sort? Good luck! Ann Wass ** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
RE: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
You know, this was my first impression... that the brown spots remind me of the way newspaper burns when it gets really old. This fabric has a haven't seen the light of day since Kennedy was in office smell, but not a musty or mildew smell. Now, I'm much less sure than I was this morning! As far as its use... I have no idea It's far too heavy to use for linings. Might work well for corsets if I needed a couple dozen of them. :D I'm thinking maybe do some creative dyeing and make pants and an oversize shirt outfit. As far as historical, I'd love to hear suggestions! The big pieces of silk are equally heavy, and has yellowed a lot. There are also some exquisite smaller pieces of different kinds of silks, at least one that screams Veil! I want to be an historic veil! every time I look at it. ;-p All of them are marked in some way, so I guess I'll be spending time soaking and watching and hoping. Or, washing, dyeing and hoping. Here's to hope... Linda -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 3:53 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics It is possible that the brown spots on the linen(?) fabric are permanent--cellulose will oxidize over time to form oxy-cellulose, and this change is non-reversible. Can you use the linen for linings and underpinnings of some sort? Good luck! Ann Wass ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Gifted fabrics
This fabric has a haven't seen the light of day since Kennedy was in office smell, but not a musty or mildew smell. Now, I'm much less sure than I was this morning! The light-reddish-brown mold doesn't smell. Fran ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
