Re: Another story about the durability of needlework.

Jim is so right. For 3 months I have been trying to clean a sampler
that was hanging in my mother's house, exposed to heavy cigarette smoke
for nearly 20 years. I first tried soaking in mild detergent and have
progressed to machine washing with bleach. While the stain is not
completely gone, it looks better and the threads have not lost any of
their color nor have the metallics been damaged, and the piece has been
through the wash 3 or 4 times now with bleach. That's the beauty of
needlework. It looks delicate and gorgeous but is stronger and more
durable than most people imagine.

Carolyn

F.James Cripwell wrote:
Dianne Lewandowski (dianne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) writes:
Mulyanti wrote:
Thank you!

I am SOO tired of stitching beautiful bibs for friends babies only to
be told "Oh, I couldn't possibly use it. You have no idea how messy
babies are; this would never survive washing!"

This sentiment I understand, in a way. Being a fairly practical person,
I would (personally) never embroider a bib. Milk stains and spit up are
difficult to remove, even though the piece is washable. It's rather
like embroidered guest towels. They look lovely, but nobody wants to
use them. Never mind that they are perfectly utilitarian.

(snip)
Dianne

I think you have missed my main point, Dianne. The idea I am trying
to get across is that needlework, if you use the right materials, e.g. DMC
or Anchor threads, is *very* tough indeed. There is no need to coddle
finished items made with 21st century materials. We often get asked the
question about how to wash things we have just finished. The answer to
that question is whatever it takes to make it clean. If it is hardly
soiled, mild detergent is enough. If it is quite dirty, anything you use
is most unlikely to spoil the beauty of the needlework.

.

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