I have a treasured piece of cross-stitch work; this was framed lo, these many years ago, and it hung in my grandma's kitchen for a loooooooong time before it was passed down to me.
I brought it out to admire it again recently and wondered anew if I could refresh it. Here is the problem:
At some point in her kitchen, some water splashed from her sink, I suppose, and made these problem areas.
I'd love to hear from some of you -- how can I remove those stains without harming the lovely piece? I feel confident that I can carefully remove it from it's frame, but what then?
Love,
I worked for many years in a cross stitch store that also did framing.
ReplyDeleteWe always recommended washing by hand in warm water with dish detergent. Let sit until no stain was showing. Now, this was for new fabric so I cannot be sure what state your fabric is in.
It is important that the fabric does not dry because that will set the stain.
You can write me privately is you need more ideas.
Mary Corbet of NeedlenThread talks about using Orvus here:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.needlenthread.com/2010/08/orvus-cleans-needlework.html
You can also read more about Orvus here:
https://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/orvus.html
There are lots of resources (information) and places to purchase Orvus if you Google it. Good luck!!
I would use Orvus in a soak, rinse, rinse. lay on towel to dry. If stains do not come out, remember them as part of your grandmother and her kitchen, Which is more important? Pristine fabric, or memories of your grandmother's kitchen ? I would choose the memories in a heart beat over any thing else :-)
ReplyDeleteI have heard great things regarding this product. http://englesideproducts.com/product/restoration-fabric-restorer/ Cindy Needham (https://www.cindyneedham.com) recommends it and she primarily uses old linens for her quilting.
ReplyDeleteYou can get Orvus at a farm supply store in the country or on line at a farm supply store also. Much less expensive than at the quilt shop.
ReplyDeleteI found the comments interesting, and that Orvus seems like something that would be very useful.
ReplyDeleteI happened onto your blog tonight by accident. I'll tell you what worked for me with a large variety of embroidered pieces from lots of different times and places. I half-filled my bathtub with hot water, dissolved about a cup of Oxiclean in it, added about a cup of Original Blue Dawn dish soap, and stirred it around. Then I put all those different embroidered pieces in the tub, and soaked them overnight. The next morning the pieces looked much better, but still had a few stains. So I drained the water (which was brown!), and repeated the procedure using hot water again with the Oxiclean and Dawn and let them soak all day again. Every piece came out spotless, and the embroidery colors were the same as in the beginning. I've used the method several times on lots of badly soiled and stained things I've gotten at estate sales and garage sales and so far, it has worked every time for me. I've read somewhere that there's something in the Original Blue Dawn that sets the color of the embroidery thread, protecting it from the Oxiclean soak. I fully recommend it, but it does take a long time to soak some really badly stained pieces, so don't give up in you try it. ----"Love"
ReplyDelete