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Caring for Your Vintage Clothing
By Brenda Hyde
We all have clothing that we want to save for various reasons.
It may be baby clothing or blankets, clothing worn at special
occasions or even items that belonged to our grandmothers or
mothers. How can we store them safely?
-First, make sure that the clothing is washed and dried according
to the instructions. Do not use any starch or other additives before
storing. You want it to be clean and fresh before it's stored!
-Folding
is much better than hanging and you want to keep clothing away
from light. If possible it's better to not use an area that gets extreme
changes in temperature. If your attic isn't heated or vented in an
older house you may want to pick another location. A uncarpeted area
is also best, because pests will more likely be attracted to carpeted
areas.
Never store your fabric items in plastic of any type. The fabric can't
breathe when surrounded by plastic. One alternative is to make your
own fabric bags out of cotton muslin and place the clothing inside the
bags, then store them in a closet or chest.
-Place the lightest items on
top, and try not to stack too many together at once. Moth balls can be
used but never let them touch the fabric.
-Cedar is a good alternative and
smells much nicer. Herbs such as lavender can be added for scenting,
but will not prevent or kill moth larvae. Even the moth balls and cedar
will fail unless you have the area/chest sealed. That's why it's good to
check your clothing once or twice a year for damage and to replace
herbs, moth balls or cedar if necessary.
Jessica, one of our subscribers also shared: I have a lot of old pillow cases and I used those to make a cover over
the clothing and I have also made them longer and put buttons or
snaps at bottom. I've also made pockets on each of the and put cedar
balls in them the keep the bugs away.
Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer living on ten acres in rural Michigan with her husband and three kids. Stop by and visit her garden blog, Garden of Grace & Whimsy, and her photography blog, A Dance of Words & Photos.
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.