Rescuing Vintage Cross Stitch

Last month I got a lovely little collection of cross stitch pieces in my lot of fabric for my friend's quilting class. She kindly allowed me to keep them, so first I decided to clean and frame the two samplers that came in the collection. Cleaning cross stitch can be tricky, but there is a process -- and please note, this is my own process. I am not an expert, and for any valuable vintage needlework you should consult a professional cleaner or conservator.

This particular piece has a lot of red embroidery thread. I will guess it's DMC brand, which tends to be colorfast. However, in my experience red almost always bleeds, and I'm not positive about the brand of thread, so it would be risky to water-wash it (to test the thread, snip a tiny piece from the tails on the back side, weet the snippet, and place it on a white paper towel to dry. If it bleeds, it will leave a color mark on the towel.) Luckily this piece also has no patchy stains or foxing.

I first tape down the piece to my cutting mat and remove all the surface dirt and dust using my cordless handheld vaccuum, which has very gentle suction. You can rubber-band a piece of mesh over the end of a regular vaccuum hose to keep it from damaging a needlework piece.

I then press the piece from the back side using a pressing cloth, with the steam on.

Finally I go over the front of the piece with a lint remover, which usually gets whatever the vaccuum didn't.

After trimming and framing, here's the final result.

Comments

Wishing

I submitted book one of my NA series for professional review and consideration, and in return I was praised for the work and provided with excellent feedback. Now I have some changes to contemplate, and decisions to make about the future. I have a couple of different directions to take, which makes the deciding part a challenge. At times like these I wish I had a crystal ball so I could see the outcome of every choice. Wouldn't life be easier if we could do that? Image by Matthias Böckel from Pixabay

Downtown Discovery

My guy and I are taking time each week to walk around the downtown areas of places we've never had time before to visit, which is how I came across a lovely fiber art supplies shop wth amazing handspun art yarns and hand-dyed embroidery threads from local artists. Fine silk embroidery thread is literally impossible to find in my part of the country, but not anymore. I also loved the amazing selection of hand-dyed flosses. I even found some tiny seed beads for my current project, and a gift for a quilter friend. While I try to thrift as much as I can for my art quilting and embroidery these days, I love the chance to support our my local weavers and dexters.

Of Kork

On the second day of March I overslept. I spent ten hours sleeping, which is very unusual for me. This is because I've suffered from insomnia most of my life, but since making significant changes (like acquiring my current day job, which allowed me to escape all the toxic people I had to deal with in my old job) I sleep much better. These days I usual manage six or seven hours sleep, and if I'm very lucky eight. But ten? I sleep that much only a couple times a year, and generally only when I'm sick. Dreams might be to blame. I remember the night was filled with them, all lovely. I traveled across Europe, I walked the streets of old cities and met lots of interesting people. In one city I stopped by an engagement party where a very attractive couple were exchanging signed contracts. The groom showed me his, and I read these words: "Course shall become Kork." I understood then that they meant to be together forever, and that it was a reincarnation co...

Rayen

Search This Blog