Here we are again! Time to take a guess at what this week’s vintage item is:
Leave us a comment as your guess, and stop back in this Friday to see the item revealed, and read the guesses. (We don’t post the guesses until Friday, so we don’t spoil the fun for those who visit after you!)
We know some of our blog followers have not had a chance to peek inside the July/August 2013 issue of Create & Decorate yet, so we are sharing an excerpt from the magazine about caring for your vintage linens. We are also sharing the link to a GIVEAWAY for Retro Clean, the gentle solution for removing age stains from washable vintage fabric!
It took me awhile, but I finally found several old clothes hangers for children on which to display my vintage dresses. The little pink rabbit hanger is my favorite, as is this hand stitched wool slip.
Let me first start by saying that I do not claim to be a textile expert on taking care of antique linens, however, I’ve learned a few common sense approaches from my grandmother and some of my own trial-and-(unfortunate) error methods for keeping the pieces I have in as good and as clean condition as I can. And of course, my pieces aren’t museum quality, and perhaps yours aren’t either, but that doesn’t mean they are any less valued. You love what you love…right? Having vintage linens is not the same as keeping them, however. Any antique worth having is worth taking care of, and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned in preserving the pieces I have.
washing and drying
The first rule of thumb is never use chlorine bleach to wash any of your antique linens! I learned this the hard way: I was trying to remove a stain from the sweetest little hand-stitched blouse. I didn’t use very much bleach on it, but it was more fragile than I realized and the bleach ate through the stain and the entire garment as well (heartbreak!). Keep in mind that some fabrics have been weakened over time by improper storing and folding, or uncared-for stains. Non-chlorine bleach is okay, but use in small amounts and very sparingly.
Cotton or linen items in good condition without lace trims or cutwork such as tablecloths, napkins, runners, place mats, and bedding are okay to machine wash. Set your machine on the delicate (or gentle) cycle, then use hot water with detergent. Back in the day, I used Ivory Flakes simply because that’s what my grandmother used, but since it’s no longer available, I use laundry soap for babies. Don’t overcrowd the pieces to be washed; it’s better to run two small loads than one large one. I also like to have my linen go through two rinse cycles to make sure that all the soap has been thoroughly removed. In good weather, I hang everything outside to dry, but I also use the clothes dryer (set on low) for a few minutes to fluff them up in bad weather. Then I hang them up until they’re completely dry.
I hand wash delicate and cutwork items and pieces in warm water. Again, wash just a few items at a time and rinse, rinse, rinse! I have quite a few lovely lace hankies, and I find what works best for rinsing these are putting them inside net bags, then running through the rinse and spin cycles on my washing machine.
Assortment of embroidered and lace-trim hankies displayed in a whimsical Victorian candy box. Once all the chocolates had been enjoyed, it was meant to hold small trinkets. The pillow cases were accompanied by a lovely duvet cover (not shown). Loosely translated, their embroidered sentiments mean “Sweet Dreams.”
ironing
This can be a challenge. Again, I’ve learned the hard way. It’s very important that the surface of the iron is perfectly clean and that there are no mineral deposits built up inside. Once when I was ironing the bodice of one little dress, my steam iron spat out water that formed a stain, forcing me back to the task of working hard to remove the stain rewashing, drying, and pressing. I now put a cloth over the piece I’m ironing to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
stains
Some stains are easily removed with simple washing. All I can say about removing stubborn stains is that you’re going to need a lot of patience, and you might have to treat the stain more than once, but it is well worth the time and effort. My grandmother would sprinkle salt on red wine stains on her holiday tablecloths and napkins, then put them in cold water to soak. If the stain was still there, she’d rub it again with salt and lemon (this combination is also how I clean my copper pieces, by the way). Baking soda and club soda are other options you can try using to remove red wine stains. White wine usually comes out with a regular washing in hot water and soap.
Some yellow and brown age stains can be removed by soaking and then gently washing the item, but I’ve had some stains that have stubbornly resisted all of my previous remedies. I recently discovered, however, a product called Retro Clean that yielded wonderful results on removing these discolorations on many of my treasures. It’s easy to use and requires only a few tablespoons of detergent dissolved in warm water before putting your things in to soak. I was very happy with the results.
Candle wax is tricky, especially if the candles are colored. Press an ice cube over the wax to harden it, and then gently remove the wax. If a wax residue remains, place the item between clean brown bags, then apply a warm iron over the wax. The brown bag should absorb the rest of the remaining wax. If the wax stain is still there, apply rubbing alcohol before washing. If all of this fails, take it to the dry cleaners and resolve to use only non-colored candles in the future!
As much as I love chocolate, I don’t like it on my linens. Sturdier, chocolate-stained linens should be sprinkled with Borax and left to sit for a time. More delicate items should be soaked in warm water, then gently dabbed with a clean cloth until the stain is gone.
Tea and coffee stains require another treatment altogether. If the stained item is durable, such as a heavy cotton or linen tablecloth, stretch the stained area over a big bowl or pot. Boil a kettle of water. When it’s steaming, slowly pour the water over the stain from a height of about 2” or so. It’s best to place the bowl in the bathtub when pouring so you don’t scald yourself. (It’s also easier on your back since you might be doing this for a while.)
storing
Some of the vintage children’s dresses I’ve acquired are wrapped in tissue. My grandmother always kept her finer linens in tissue, so I like to think that I’m keeping the tradition alive. For larger items like quilts, the recommended wrap is clean linen or cotton sheeting, and rolling is preferred over folding. Do not use plastic bags, however, as they can trap moisture, resulting in mildew and mold.
Over the years, I’ve given away a number of things from my collection due to downsizing my household, and although I still have some items that are packed away, I have quite a few things on display to be enjoyed every day. My children’s dresses in particular are hung on a variety of small clothes hangers and placed throughout my home. I think it’s important to surround yourself with the things you love, and there’s no better way to add small slices of joy to your life. 
New life for your favorite vintage textiles!
Retro Clean is a gentle soaking agent that removes age stains from treasured quilts and washable fabrics. We were so pleased with the transformation from old and dingy to bright and colorful that Retro Clean is offering a giveaway for their product! Five lucky entries will be chosen. To enter, leave us a comment here about this post, and visit createanddecorate.com/giveaway, to leave your contact information. Good luck!
Yes, indeedy, our vintage object this week is a brass trumpet! Well, just the valves for the puzzle pic… we’re sneaky like that, you know.
To read the very smart guesses from the musically informed guessers, click here, and scroll down.
Happy Friday!
A true vintage treasure, don’t you think?
Yes, it is time to hone your guessing skills again and play “What is it?” Wednesday!
Take a look at the piece of the vintage item below, and leave us a comment as your guess. Stop back in for the results this Friday.
Those of you who subscribe to Create & Decorate may recognize this design. For those blog-only project folks: did you know Create & Decorate magazine often has giveaways accompanying a project, or two, in each issue? True story!
Since summer is upon us, and our thoughts are outside in the sunshine, we thought it would be fun to offer you this punch needle project from the July/August 2012 issue of Create & Decorate. Back issues are still available! (click here)
Fluffy Friends, as seen in Create & Decorate, July/August 2012. Designed by Beverly Hotz.
Fluffy Friends Punch Needle
Designed by Beverly Hotz
materials
• Weeks Dye Works
Embroidery floss in No. 1155, No. 1240, No. 1271, and No. 2198 Weaver’s Cloth in No. 1106 Beige, a piece large enough to fit in embroidery hoop
• DMC Embroidery floss in No. 918, No. 3865, No. 4150, and No. 4145
• Cameo Ultra Punch Punchneedle*
• Embroidery hoop of choice
• Vintage handkerchief
• Picture frame of choice
• Embroidery scissors, mat board (a 1-5/16” x 2-3/4” piece), quick-drying clear craft glue, self-stick mounting board (a piece the size of frame), sewing needle, thread (to match color of Weaver’s cloth)
*Available through Punch needle Marketplace.
instructions
For pattern, see below.
1. Using transfer method of choice, transfer pattern onto Weaver’s cloth.
2. Place cloth into hoop, taking care not to distort fabric while making cloth drum-tight. Note: Refer to manufacturer’s instruction for punch needle usage.
3. Using three strands of floss for each color, and setting
punch needle on 1, punch in following order:
Outline and fill dandelion flowers with No. 918, and greens with No. 2198. For sheep body outlines, legs and heads use No. 1271. For sheep wool, combine two strands of No. 4150 with one strand of No. 4145. Using No. 3865, punch the swirls in the sky, then outline and fill with No. 1155. Outline and fill ground with No. 1240. Using a French knot, create eyes for sheep with No. 3865.
4. Trim all excess threads from front and back sides of stitched designs.
5. Carefully cut out completed punch needle, leaving a 3/4” border of fabric around design.
6. Center punch needle onto front side of mat board and adhere into place. Let dry.
7. Fold excess fabric over long edges of mat board and hold in place with fingers. First, anchor one side of fabric with needle and thread, and then take needle across the board to fabric on opposite side, stitching fabric in a criss-cross, or lacing, fashion. Fold corners neatly and tack.
8. Mount the vintage handkerchief to the self-stick mounting board trimmed to the size of the picture frame following Steps 6–8. Trim the handkerchief first if necessary.
9. Adhere the punch needle design to center of handkerchief mat, and slide back into frame.
The following pattern is reversed for punching, and finished embroidery measures 1-5/16″ x 2-3/4″.
If you guessed knife sharpener, you were correctamundo!
It’s not surprising that some of you still own one like this, or any of the other items we’ve featured here; it just goes to show that they truly do not make products the way they used to!
You can read the original post, and see all the guesses, here. As always, thanks for playing, and happy Friday!
by Sandi Henderson, Wiley Publishing, wiley.com.
Review by Noelle A. DeMArco
Now, a book that talks about sewing for each season might not appeal to everyone—the whole world, after all, doesn’t get to experience spring, summer, fall, and winter. But flip through this book once and whether you live in a perpetual summer (lucky!) or never-ending winter (deepest apologies), you will find a beautiful project that you can enjoy at any time. Plus, if you live in regions where your produce depends on the season, two recipes are included in each section that incorporate what’s fresh at the moment!
Ever thought of repurposing an umbrella? I like the old-fashioned kind (with metal spokes) but I don’t always like their outdated designs. With the Rain or Shine Umbrella, I can pick up an old umbrella for a song, and give it a cute makeover with any fabric I like. The Ruffle Lounge Pants are impossibly adorable, and look so comfy. You could easily stitch them up in a heavier fabric for cold weather, because comfort knows no temperature. And they have pockets! (If you are anything like me, then you know how important that is.)
The Shabby Pumpkins will last forever and the Reversible Pencil and Storage Bags would make a comforting Back-to-School companion. A lot of families have a Christmas Eve PJ’s tradition (my grandmother did that for us even after we became adults); how fun would it be to sew up some for your family, tailored to each person in a special fabric?
Each project has clear, step-by-step instructions, and all the patterns can be found online, so you can enlarge them as necessary.
For a chance to win this book check out our giveaways page!
Time flies when you’re having fun. So, here we are again!
You know what to do… to take a guess at this week’s puzzle leave a comment as your guess. Stop back in on Friday to see the ‘answer’ of the full photo, and read the guesses (which we don’t post until Friday to give everyone an unbiased chance at guessing).
Hmmmmm… what is it?
Summer’s End Afghan
Rich in color tones, this lightweight afghan is perfect for a cool summer evening.
Designed by Herrschners. Featured in the July/August 2013 issue of Create & Decorate magazine.
materials
• Herrschners Lighthouse Waves (wool and soy blend) medium-weight yarn in Dusty Rose, 20 1.75-oz. skeins
• J-10 crochet hook or size to obtain gauge
• Sewing needle and coordinating thread or floss, tapestry needle
instructions
Notes: Gauge: Motif is 9-1/2” point-to-point. Stitches used are chain (ch), slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), and double crochet (dc). Finished size of piece is approximately 56” across.
1. Motif (make 37).
2. Foundation Ring: Ch 9, join with sl st to form ring.
3. Round 1: Working in ring, ch 8 (counts as first dc and ch 5), 3 dc, *ch 5, 3 dc, rep from * three more times, ch 5, 2 dc, join with sl st in third ch of beg ch-8. (Six ch-5 lps).
4. Round 2: Sl st in each of next 2 ch, ch 7 (counts as first dc and ch 4), 4 dc in ch-5 sp, *ch 1, (4 dc, ch 4, 4 dc) in next ch-5 sp, rep from * four more times, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-5 sp, join with sl st in third ch of beg ch-7.
5. Round 3: Sl st in each of next 2 ch, ch 6 (counts as first dc and ch 3), 3 dc in next ch-4 sp, *ch 3, (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-4 sp, rep from * four more times, ch 3, 2 dc in next ch-4 sp, join with sl st in third ch of beg ch-6.
6. Round 4: Sl st in each of next 2 ch, ch 8, sl st in fourth ch from hook, ch 1, 2 dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 5, sc in next ch-3 sp, *ch 5, in next ch-3 sp work: (2 dc, ch 5, sl st in fourth ch from hook, ch 1, 2 dc), ch 5, sc in next ch-3 sp; rep from * four more times, ch 5, dc in next ch-3 sp, join with sl st in third ch of beg ch-8. Fasten off.
assembly
1. Arrange motifs into a hexagon shape of seven rows: Row 1 and Row 7, four motifs; Row 2 and Row 6, five motifs; Row 3 and Row 5, six motifs; Row 4, seven motifs (see diagram).
2. Join motifs together at the corners where three picots meet by tying them together using needle and yarn or embroidery floss in a matching color. To close sides of motifs between picots, tack the middle of the ch 5 lps together from the back side with needle and thread twice per motif side.Optional: You may prefer to temporarily tie motifs together at the corners where two picots meet at the edge of the afghan. Although these will be crocheted together while working the edging, temporarily securing the motifs together can make it easier to find the next motif when crocheting the edging.
edging
Special stitches used in edging are: Point: Ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-1 sp, (sl st, ch 4, sl st in 4th ch from hook, sl st) in next picot, 2 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 2, sl st in next dc. Side: Ch 1, sk next dc, 3 dc in next ch-5 sp, ch 1, sc in next sc, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-5 sp, ch 1, sk next dc sl st in next dc. Join: Ch 1, place next picot over picot in next motif, working in both picots do (dc, ch 5, sl st in 4th ch from hook, ch 1, dc), ch 1, sl st in next dc. Corner Edge: Ch 2, sc in next ch-5 sp, ch 2, sc in next sc, ch 2, sc in next ch-5 sp, ch 2, sk next dc, sl st in next dc. Note: The outside edge of afghan has four picots on each of the six sides.
1. With right side facing, join with sl st in dc before first picot of any edge and work across edge as follows: *Point, Side, Join, Side; rep from * two more times, Point, Corner Edge. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first edging stitch. Fasten off and secure all ends.
This project submitted courtesy of Herrschners.
It seems that we had a real stumper this week! This is one of those puzzles that when you see the photo you say, “Oh! Of course!”
Remember how fun family gatherings were when everyone sat together and look at vacation slides? We’d create our own commentary to go along with the picture, and remember the moment together.
Enjoy your trip down Memory Lane.
Happy Friday!
(Psst – to read this weeks guesses, click here and scroll down.)
