In a message dated 2/26/05 10:00:04 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> I'm slowly progressing with my longest running UFO - pattern no 8 from
> Syllabus Grof (Brugs) Bloemwerk by Sonia Vanoosterwijck, that's the Bruges
> mat on
> the cover - which I started on 1/1/2000. I did a bit of the middle motif
> that year and for one reason or other shelved it but have now finished the
> middle motif and am working the flowers etc that surround it. I'm doing it in
> Bockens 50/2 linen in white. I've just been working in daylight for the first
> time and noticed a difference in the lace I made 5 years ago and the flower I
> just finished. The new flower is bright white and the older lace is not, I'd
> say it has a creamier colour now, not yellowish though.
>
> Would that be an oxidation/natural aging process do you think? It was
> covered well when I wasn't working on it so I'm assuming it's not exposure to
> light. I'm hoping that as I work it -maybe finishing it at some point all
> the
> thread will end up the same shade. It's not nearly obvious enough for me to
> abandon it but I'm curious.
>
> jenny barron
> Scotland
>
Dear Jenny,
Possibly some chemical within the pillow cover fibers or contents of pillow,
or the pricking (paper card made from woodpulp?) has caused the slight color
change. Also, if food cooking in your home generates smoke or there is a
fireplace or smoker - perhaps the smoke penetrated the cover cloth??
As you get closer to the wood surface of the bobbins, you might also find a
color change in the thread on the bobbins if those bobbins are wood. Depends
how they were "finished". You will remember my story about winding my
embroidery flosses on wooden sewing thread spools - raw wood - when I was a
child, and
that the threads many years later were weak from acid burn. It was possible
to snap them to break the 6 strands of thread!
This brings up the subject again, especially for our newbies, to be very
careful with your storage arrangements. Anything made of wood, especially if
it
does not have a protective layer of finish, whether old or new, will emit wood
acid fumes. The result has a technical name, but for simplicity we call it
"acid burn". Acid burn poses a danger to lace and lace threads - and your
collections of laces and heirloom clothing! Most cardboard boxes, paper bags,
and
tissue paper are made from wood pulp, so be careful.
Included in this warning would be any lace pillow filled with sawdust or with
wood products as part of the construction of the pillow. You may find these
pillows very satisfying to work on, but it is important to finish the lace
project in a shortish length of time. Old-time lacers did not have this
problem,
because the incentive was to sell their laces to provide income. It would
have been unusual to keep a piece of lace on any lace pillow for several years.
Some of what I've written may not apply in Jenny's case. However, read and
remember the warning about acid burn. It can be devastating - to collections
and heirlooms, especially.
Jenny, when you finish the lace, you might try soaking it in Orvus soap
(Procter & Gamble). I have learned it is especially difficult to find Orvus in
the
U.K. However, you might find this soap in a quilt supplies shop or a tack
shop (it is used to wash farm animals in preparation for showing at fairs). It
is alkaline-based and will neutralize the acidic ph from wood. My lace
washing instructions are still on the Honiton Lace site:
http://www.honitonlace.com/
Click on "Cleaning Lace" in the list at left, and on the box in the first
sentence of the page that comes up.
Newbies: You might like to print out these instructions and keep them for
future reference. It is not advisable to use the harsh formulas and
instructions for washing that are in old lace or housekeeping books! New books
rarely
mention that you should be using distilled water, which is very important now
that nearly all water has chemical additives in addition to damaging natural
minerals (such as iron).
Jeri Ames in Maine USA
Lace & Embroidery Resource Center
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