Dear Clay, We have chemists and scientists on Arachne who are better-qualified to address your plastics question. Some plastics are safer than others, but we've all seen old hard plastics turn yellow, lose transparency, and try to return to a petroleum state. The type used by dry cleaners to cover newly-cleaned clothes is never a good choice. It attracts dirt and smoke, and it traps moisture. As for boxes to store your bobbins and other lace supplies: what do our scientists have to say? I would say to check your supplies regularly - at least once a year. Put a reminder on your calendar each year, perhaps on St. Catherine's Day, for this pleasurable reunion with your lace-related supplies.. Zippered canvas storage bags made from a synthetic fiber are another matter. What is the fiber? Water-proofed? Smell funny? Allow air to circulate a bit? Would you climb all the way in, close the zipper, and stay a day if it was sized to fit (as in a sleeping bag, with your head tucked inside)? We tell people to use woven 100% undyed cotton, from which all sizing has been removed through washing, when storing laces. That is a huge clue for you. Personally, I think such a bag is good for transport, but maybe not for permanent storage. At a Costume Society of America symposium in June, I participated in a full day of examining many examples of problems 20th C. clothing materials have manifested over a short period of time. These were the things giving curators the most headaches. Elastics and stretchy materials added to fabrics- iron-on facings- sequins and beads (that look like glass) made of a gel that dissolves in water- synthetic or plastic zippers- dress shields- glues that were not stable- staining from metals- dissolving threads- etc. If you are sentimental and have kept clothing from 30 or more years ago, have a look. Use your common sense when such things are in your collections, and know that some will not stand the passage of time, no matter what you do. It is important to think of those things you learned in the early years of school - about gravity, air pollution, water pollution, sun burns, etc. Then, use common sense. A primary guideline is to remember if something is not good for humans, it is probably not good for lace! Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center --------------------------------------------------------- In a message dated 8/13/2011 1:33:35 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, clayblackw...@comcast.net writes:
Hi Jeri - Thanks for the reminder. I think that most of the wreath boxes that we see on sale after the holidays are plastic. They are made by Rubbermaid and other molded plastic manufacturers. Could you please address the subject of storage with regard to these plastics? Many of us use various plastic boxes to organize our bobbins... I've also seen (and bought) zippered canvas storage bags. The canvas is made from a synthetic fiber... not sure what it is, but it is tightly woven and very sturdy. So what would that do to pillows and/or bobbins? Thanks for helping us preserve our precious tools!! Clay Clay Blackwell in muggy, smokey Virginia ---------------------------------------- On 8/13/2011 10:49 AM, jeria...@aol.com wrote: > Dear Lace Pillow Storers, > > Just privately received the following from a member of Arachne, and think > it should be shared: > > "Two years ago I was part of a team that disbursed the collection of a > lady > who had wanted to start a lace school. A huge amount of what she had > collected was no longer worth anything because of the way stuff was > stored. Very sad." > > My (Jeri's) gut feeling is that if wreath boxes are made of wood pulp, > they will off-gas acids that weaken threads and turn them brown. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
