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Restoration of Antique Linens
By Deborah Michelle Sanders
So you've found a beautiful piece of lace or linen at a thrift shop or
estate sale, but it is dingy. Or maybe your wedding day is coming up, and
you want to wear your grandmother's veil. What can you do to make it look
its best?
You should fold and stitch a large piece of lace before you wash it. Fold
it into a manageable rectangle and then use a loose running stitch around
the perimeter to secure the folds.
Whether you are dealing with lace, linen, or even a special cotton, there
are 2 methods for relatively gentle bleaching. You should try them in order
of their strength.
First, use soap flakes or liquid soap, not detergent, in cool water to wash
the lace or linen. Rinse very well.
Bleaching Methods
The first bleaching method is this: before the cloth gets a chance to dry,
place it in the sun on a bright white cloth (so the sun's rays will be
reflected to the maximum). This will work best if you live in a very sunny
home and can keep the cloth inside while exposing it to the sun - outside,
you have pets and insects to contend with.
The second bleaching method is to use your largest stockpot or canning
kettle to bleach the fabric. Use 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup salt to
every gallon of water. Be certain that there is lots more liquid in the pot
than there is fabric. Bring the "stew" to a boil, cover, and simmer gently
for one hour. Rinse thoroughly and dry flat.
Storing Your Linens
Once the fabric has been whitened, you'll want to store it carefully when it
is not in use. Wrap it in tissue paper. Then place it in a securely-taped
box with desiccant or silica gel outside the tissue paper.
You can find desiccant in the packaging for electronic equipment often and
in many bottles of medication (it's those capsules that say, "Do not eat")
and you should save the silica gel for just such a use as this.
About The Author
Deborah Michelle Sanders is editor of the
The Penny Orchid "Thrift with Flair", a monthly print newsletter
that shows you how to save your money and keep the money you have.
She has the experience of having lived on Social Security Disability
Insurance. A lawyer since 1975, now inactive by choice, she has
always enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle, even without much money.
Deborah is the publisher of THE PENNY ORCHID "Thrift with Flair."
A 12-issue subscription costs $24 Send your check payable to THE PENNY
ORCHID OR For a FREE sample issue send a self-addressed stamped envelope
to:: P. O. Box 642335, Attention: Betsy Garcia, San Francisco,
CA 94164-2335.
SeptemberLady "Born and have lived in Southern MD most of my life. My husband and I just finished building a new home on the family farm, where I hope to retire in the near future.
My interests: Doll collecting, cookbook collector (especially old ones), antiques, family/friend get-togethers, cooking/baking, flower and vegetable gardening, bird-watching."
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling Memorial Day signals the start of barbecue season. Everyone wants to light that fire and charcoal that first meal. A few tips might pre- vent your entree from becoming a "Burnt Offering."
Read these tips for plenty of grilling ideas, make this year's barbecue perfect!
Growing and Using Garlic Chives Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, is a hardy perennial (Zones 3-9) that will grow to about 12 inches high. The stems are skinnier and flat, instead of hollow as are regular chives, with greenish white blooms that are about an inch wide and not as rounded. They bloom in the summer rather than spring. The bloom stalks grow much taller than the leaves, sometimes up to 30 inches.
The stems and blooms are both edible and have a mild garlic onion taste. I've noticed many writers will list this as primarily as an Asian herb, as they are also known as Chinese chives, Chinese leeks, ku chai (China) or Nira (Japan), but it has many other uses as well!
The Perfect Porch Swing Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times.
Although porch swings can be purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet.
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling
Growing and Using Garlic Chives
The Perfect Porch Swing