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To: Wneighbor; HairOfTheDog
I have some crocheted lace doilies that my great-grandmother's sister made - probably circa 1900.

I knew if I watched this conversation long enough I'd get to ask my question. We have a bed throw that my aunt crocheted, probably sometime in the 40s/50s. It is hundreds of little crocheted circles, each about 4 inches in diameter. It's a full sized spread.

Best we can tell is that over the years she did it she used two different brands of thread. One is still fairly white, the other has turned brown. So we've got a random mix of white and brown circles. We've wanted to get it restored for a long time but are afraid it would be ruined.

Thoughts?

6,952 posted on 02/17/2004 4:28:51 PM PST by Corin Stormhands (Will FReep for tag line...)
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To: Corin Stormhands
I don't guess you'd be fortunate enough that the pattern for the squares was pleasing enough to leave it that way?

No, I figured not.

Thing is, if it's different thread, it would prolly also take cleaning or staining differently in the different fabrics. How brave are ya?

If it were me.... and I couldn't live with it the way it is.....

First thing is, if I wanted to try to get it white again - you said brown, not yellow so I'd fill a large pan or sink full of extremely hot water and bleach. Good bit of bleach. And soak the thing for hours. Then rinse carefully several times to get the bleach out. All of this by hand.

Next, if that didn't work.... and I didn't mind it being brown-tones... which IMO is good for antique crocheted things anyway, I'd try the tea staining.

Lastly, if you just want it to be something useable and none of that works - but you want to try to get it the same color - there's always the old faithful RIT dye.

Oh, one other thing. RIT has some products for A) removing age stains and B) color restoring. I have used the thing for removing age stains but it didn't work well for me. That is why my old white eyelet lace dust ruffle became a scarlet eyelet lace dust ruffle for Myranda. I have never tried the color restoration product. Not sure what that does.

Caution: At one point I thought I was going to try one of those Oxy clean products that is advertised. I was advised by a friend who works with things like that more than I do that it may eat holes in old fabrics. Caustic to some things it seems. I didn't try it myself.
6,955 posted on 02/17/2004 4:40:17 PM PST by Wneighbor (Get them enchiladas greasy, get them steaks chicken-fried!)
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To: Corin Stormhands
We've wanted to get it restored for a long time but are afraid it would be ruined.

I think wneighbor's tea stain idea might work. The brown threads may not pick up the stain, but it will make the lighter areas get more brown and possibly more uniform. Do you have anything smaller that is similar on which you could experiment?

7,004 posted on 02/17/2004 6:12:12 PM PST by SuziQ
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