I have the book “A manual of Lace” by Jeanette E Pethebridge, published in
1947 by
Cassell & Co. Ltd. I was lucky enough to buy this from a second hand
bookshop for £5. I have to admit that I had not really looked thoroughly
through this book until it was mentioned on Arachne. There are patterns for
each lace mentioned, also how to do basic lace stitches. Then right at the
back of the book is Care and Restoration of Lace. I thought perhaps there
might be one or two people who might like to read this so decided that
perhaps I should send this information to the list. I do wonder who
Jeanette E Pethebridge is or was in the lace making world.
CARE AND RESTORATION OF LACE
PIECES OF VALUABLE LACE should always be kept folded in blue paper when not
in use as this helps to preserve the colour.
When lace becomes soiled it can be washed quite successfully. If very
fragile, wind the lace onto a tall thin bottle, which should be filled with
sand to weight it. Have ready a larger bottle with a wide neck; the kind in
which confectioners keep sweets does quite well. Lay lace on muslin, wrap
round bottle, tack outer layer of muslin to keep in place. Fill the large
bottle with soft water and immerse the small bottle to cover the muslin.
Leave for a day. If the lace is very soiled change the water and leave
again. Fill the large bottle with suds made with pure flaked soap and a
little milk. Immerse and leave again. Take out and swill through in
several waters.
If the lace is to be stiffened, make a very thin starch in a chi a
basin. Immerse bottle and soak well. Take out and squeeze outer muslin
with the hands to remove surplus starch.
Unwrap the work from bottle and remove lace from the muslin.
A piece of board covered with flannel and a top layer of sheeting, kept
firm with drawing pins at the back, is used for pinning out. Never use a
flat iron. Place the lace face downwards, smooth with the hands to original
shape, and pin round the edge with lace pins. Dry in sunlight.
If iron-mould has formed, before the final pinning out, pin the lace,
right side up, and leave in very strong sunlight; redampen the spots as they
dry. In this way the most obstinate ironmould spots will disappear.
If the lace is to be finished antique colour…Bruges for
instance…dissolve a few permanganate of potash crystals in water which will
become a purple colour. Take care that every particle is dissolved then
stir a very little of the solution into the rinsing water. Use the solution
sparingly as a very little goes a long way and once the lace is coloured it
is difficult to remove stain. Pin out and dry as before but in the shade.
A very fragile piece of antique lace can be dry-cleaned. Lay the lace
on a piece of soft calico (old sheeting is ideal), sprinkle freely with
powdered magnesia, fold up and leave for a few days. Occasionally pat
gently to work the powder through the mesh. Take out of doors to unfold;
shake free the lace from the powder.
MENDING. If a wedding veil or flounce made on machine-made net has
been torn, mend the small holes with Point d’Alencon reseau stitch (Chart 5,
No 2). Make mesh square or round to match the net. If the rent is large,
back it with blue paper, tack over the hole a piece of net with exactly the
same mesh as the piece to be mended then, with very fine lace thread,
over-sew bars of the mesh of the two lays of net, together, working in an
irregular manner over about four bars, then a few to the left, zig zag all
round the hole. Cut away surplus net both sides of the over sewing. When
washed the mend is practically invisible.
Real or hand-made lace is mended by making the actual stitch used in
the piece to be repaired. All stitches commonly used are in the Charts in
preceding chapters.
If the reseau is very badly worn, the motifs can be appliquéd on net.
The lace will lose value, but will be quite wearable. Old-fashioned shapes
can be made into modern ones in this way.
Bobbin lace is more difficult to mend than needlepoint. Continuous
lace, if not badly fray, can be strengthened by darning. Using a thread as
near as possible to the original lace, darn across from side to side for
workers; passives are darned over these, cutting off thread in different
lengths. Bars can be strengthened by over sewing. Motifs must be re-made
on the pillow, thus:- Cut away the torn motif and surrounding bars, draw on
blue card a motif similar to the torn one, copying from another part of the
work, place this on the pillow then pin the lace on to the pillow, round the
hole, keeping to the design. Work the new motif and bars, joining the bars
to the original piece of lace.
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