Sharon - from what you say, could it be that the orange stains are similar to rust? On the piece of fabric that you removed, why not try to use a rust remover for use on fabrics. I have always found that this works well on orange coloured stains and usually has no adverse effects. Karen in Malta
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sharon Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:53 PM To: lace@arachne.com Subject: [lace] restoration question I need a few educated opinions :) I've recently been asked if I could restore an antique christening gown. Before actually seeing it I said "yes" since I thought the lace would be bobbin. Anyway, turns out the dress is made up of strips of broderie anglaise. The repair that needs doing is right smack in the middle of the bodice :( The child obviously gobbed something down it :( The resulting damage has burned a hole and turned other smaller areas orange :( Otherwise the dress is in pristine condition and so white you'd think it had been bleached within an inch of it's life. I asked the owner about this since the dress is supposedly from the 1890's. She said that the dress had only been in storage and never cleaned. So, I took a small strip from a seam allowance and tested it with some oxy-clean and there were no adverse results. I then soaked the stained area for a while and it did lighten the stain a bit. I didn't want to soak for too long even though the dress feels brand new and strong. Next I've had to match some material as a patch for the hole which it about three eights of an inch across. Not an easy task and I had to settle for some fine hankerchief material..it's not a bad match, not perfect, being slightly coarser..but at least the colour was right. Next has been sewing some of the eyelets back together. I'm using my finest thread (170) and a beading needle. I have to say it looks pretty good so far. I plan on hiding the raw edges of the hole with a couple of embroidered spots. The thing is, the orange stain still stands out like a neon sign :( What I would like an opinion about is this, would it be alright if I covered those stains with a bit of chalk? My thinking is that it would not only cover the stains but perhaps also neutralise the effects of any remaining acid. The gown is to be put on display at a Heritage Show next month. I don't think there is a permanent way of getting rid of the stains but at least it would be presentable. Thaks. Sharon on sunny but cold Vancouver Island - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by NextWeb, and is believed to be clean. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
