Perhaps we should remind that the yarns being used for these bobbin-made fashion lace scarves - various combinations of dyed fibers - were probably developed for knitters. Therefore, I would first suggest a professional on this Arachne list consult a knitter's group to learn how their best conservators are washing and blocking items made from multi-fiber and multi-colored yarns. These yarns are being used by some of our most expert bobbin lace makers (I have their books), but let us face it - the thread combinations are rather new to those of us accustomed to researching 500+ years of traditional lace experience. It will be conservators 50-100 years from now who will be able to tell the youngest of our Arachne lacemakers what they have experienced in trying to preserve these in their laboratories. Should we expect "boutique yarns" to last hundreds of years, when the yarns and items made from them are relatively quickly made? Dyes have always introduced problems. I would classify items made from these newly-developed yarns as crafts. Old linen laces can survive longer than other fibers only if kept in a friendly environment. They required many focused hours to design and make. The best surviving linen thread lace is now considered art and treated accordingly. Cotton, spun from much shorter fibers, does not last as long. I have frequently suggested that it is wise to think about the finished product and how it will be used and cared for before you assemble all the supplies for a lace project. These suggestions were based on my study of textile conservation and restoration, relevant books, and museum seminars. They are logical. As do cooks, always wash your hands before you sit down to make lace. Wash hands periodically, if your skin is more acidic than normal. (A test: Do your sewing needles discolor almost immediately?) Clean hands mean cleaner lace that may not need wet cleaning upon completion. Conservation labs charge a lot of money per hour for an appointment and they charge for some of the advice I keep dispensing free on Arachne. Time is money in our modern world. I have waited for the correspondence on this subject to almost complete, to be time-efficient, and have spent 5 hours composing these few comments. (Someone might read public memos decades from now, so I keep refining my meanings for them before Send Now is chosen.) Procter and Gamble's Orvus soap is used by museum conservators and restorers as the cleaning agent for cotton and linen, because it is alkaline-based. These fibers absorb a lot of acids from the environment and how they are stored. Orvus infuses the fibers with alkaline - which is healthy to have neutralizing residual acids in plant-based cotton and linen fibers. You do not have to rinse it out completely - it can slightly off-set new acids attacking the fibers. But, do rinse most of Orvus out of cotton and linen. Go to our Archives and search ORVUS: http://www.mail-archive.com/lace@arachne.com/index.html Or go directly to: _http://www.mail-archive.com/lace%40arachne.com/msg27444.html_ (http://www.mail-archive.com/lace@arachne.com/msg27444.html) Or - better yet - my Cleaning & Restoration memo of 20 years ago, donated to The Honiton Lace Shop site. The shop no longer exists, but my text is very clear. **Newbies** - PLEASE PRINT THIS, AND SAVE. I am getting old, and will not be around forever to keep giving wet cleaning advice and explanations of polluted air and water, gravity, bleach, starch, etc. http://www.honitonlace.com/honitonlace/shop/cleaning2.htm Since the Honiton article - meant for wedding-type fragile laces - was written, I have experimented on silk lace scraps and gone on to use Orvus for old Maltese cream-colored silk laces - without incident. I plan to try to wet clean a piece of silk Nanduti lace (which is less dense) soon. When dealing with animal-based silk and wool fibers, be sure to rinse with room temperature water until you feel you could drink the rinse water! As always, at least the final 2 RINSEs should be in distilled or de-ionized water, because that is purer than any water coming into your homes (chemical additives and minerals are not good for textile fibers). Let the lace sit in the final 2 rinses for at least 15 minutes each. Well-washed wool will have the lanolin removed. This will remove "food" for critters, like moths. It will also remove water-shedding properties in woolen items meant to be worn in harsh weather. I use a dehumidifier in the cellar to banish dampness. The bucket in which water collects is well-cleaned, wiped down with white vinegar, and then the resulting distilled water is OK by my standards. There is a new steam iron that specifies distilled water in the fine print - I bought one at a Quilt Show 2 years ago. If you steam press lace, you really should not use water from your faucets. I see this iron is out-of-stock, perhaps because people are making quilts at this time of year and realize this is a useful iron. It cost $30 US, weighs 1 pound, plate surface is 5 x 3 inches. Has anyone else tried this? http://www.steamfast.com/fabric-care/SF-717-travel-steam-iron About washing your hair with Orvus - I experimented with this. Survived. It smelled very clean, like some skin cleansers, but I do not think a pure alkaline-based soap is good for human hair. It strips out healthy oils and hair dyes too thoroughly. After use, a conditioning product would be mandatory. If you dye your hair, it would have to be re-done too frequently. (I normally use baby shampoo.) Noon. Time for deferred breakfast! Newbies, there is a lot of information above. Long-time readers of my memos about lace care print them and save in a binder that is kept with lace books. Or, you could put with your household's appliance user manuals. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
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