Sunday, April 27, 2008

I Can't Stop Talking About... ~ Antique Ribbon Rosettes

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I am so excited about my latest find especially something I love so well! Receiving this box of silk ribbon flowers was a treasure trove and a testament to the makers of these lovely creations. Each of flower rosette is unique and different from any other with all in very good condition considering how fragile the silk ribbon can be. Prolonged storage can also lead to damage of the rosettes but these show no sign of deterioration. I am thrilled and can't stop talking about them! If you haven't read my post of several months ago of the salesman sample silk rosettes it is a must to do!

Now, I happened upon a 1913 page from Needlecraft magazine titled "Ribbon Flowers" by author Anna T. Roberts. Anna gives in her article the directions for making these lovely flowers. Her directions are for Rose buds, Roses in full bloom, Violets, Pansies and Forget-Me-Nots . Not only does she give directions for making but tells of usage of which she states there are many and varied. Yes, I can attest as I have seen these rosettes on many articles of clothing, bags of all types including lingerie & hanky cases, dresser items such a boxes, mirrors and powder puffs. The limit was endless.

Here a few examples of the rosettes....

A close up of how one of these is made.

And yet another one.

All silk ribbon except for the leaves and stamens. For more details on these or similar ribbon rosettes from the Edwardian - 1920's please read here

Monday, April 21, 2008

Vintage Needlework Page ~ The Popular New Cretonnes

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In the process of looking for another article this morning I discovered some "tucked away" ladies pages from "Woman's World Book New Design In Needlework". Although I did not find any date on the pages I would venture a guess mid-1920's or very early 1930's.

One page in particular caught my attention, not only for the array of embroidery and sewing project but the name of the stamped fabric used in making the items. The title of the page is "The Popular New Cretonnes". Most of the Cretonne fabric I have encountered has been very light weight almost sheer fabric, however, the dictionary definition of Cretonne is a heavier unglazed cotton, linen or rayon fabric used for draperies and slipcovers. This definition just didn't fit with a piece of 1890's fabric I owned still with the paper label of Cretonne. It definitely was of a lightweight pretty printed fabric.

So further reading. It is now to my understanding the name Cretonne was used at different periods of time for shall we say for the same fabric but definitely of different weight & textures. It is always an unglazed fabric similar to Chintz but with a dull finish. Very colorfully printed with the lighter and finer fabrics used for making garments.

Ah yes, now my needlework page advertising "The Popular New Cretonnes" makes more sense.

All the colorful stamped areas of these garments are of Cretonne with the remainder of the fabric unbleached muslin.

And aren't they dear!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

All Tied Up In Silk And Ribbon ~ A Baby's Bonnet

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How precious and charming the baby that wore this bonnet must have looked. More than likely made by a loving mother or grandmother.

This delight is from the late Edwardian - 1920's era. It is handmade of silk decorated with rows of braid & ribbon rosettes. The pointed brim is wired on the edge so it will stand up in peaks around the baby's head. Big silk satin ribbon bows decorate each side of the bonnet.

Would you like to know more details on this bonnet? Please read here

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Victorian Handmade Brussels Bobbin Lace

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I love pretty pieces of lace especially the handmade pieces from Victorian / Edwardian era. Most are still affordable as well as easier to obtain from this time period fitting into today's budget.

This particular piece is handmade Brussels bobbin lace applique on machine net. It is a beautiful shade of light ivory measuring 5-1/2 yard long x 3-1/2" wide. How lovely this would be to trim a wedding gown or other very special dress.

For more details on this lovely lace click here

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Laundry Tips ~ Antique & Vintage Cotton Linens

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As I am a collector at heart my thoughts are always of preservation. How to preserve these textiles I love so they can truly stand the test of time to be handed along to the next caring & loving collector.

Most textiles that can be safely cleaned are cleaned before I offer for sale. Those that can't or not easily cleaned are inspected. Possibly a good airing on a well shaded protected porch will do wonders to release odors or loose soil. Those items that can be laundered I look for any damage that would need repair prior to laundry. If not repaired before hand more damage may occur during the washing process. Please keep in mind that dirt sometimes is what is holding a piece together. It is so very disheartening to see a lovely piece shredding before your very eyes once the fabric meets the water. Occasionally it does happen. A piece which seemingly could be washed doesn't survive.

Linen and cotton are two of the most easy to clean fabrics so these two fibers will be the focus in this article. You will find as I have, many cloth pieces are begging for a good bath. I must say, a good soaking does do wonders to restore vitality to the fabric, helping the piece to emerge from an unkempt desperate look. Again, there are a host of products and ways to clean these fabrics. Although I have tried many of them I find my method of choice, that works for me, is to use the product Oxiclean . This product is easy to obtain and is a relatively safe washing product, but may I stress do read the label.

I start my laundry by placing a small group of textiles to soak over night in a plastic tub. Some items may take several soakings to remove all stains, changing the water a number of times during the soaking process. Upon completion of this process I rinse the items several times to remove all traces of the Oxiclean. Then, again, I fill the tub with water and a small amount of detergent to further clean and remove the remainder of residue. Repeat rinsing until no soap remains.

If you are so fortunate to have a clothes line these pieces can be lined dried. Take care of hanging delicate fragile items as the item weighted with water can place stress on the cloth. These pieces are best laid flat to dry on white Turkish towels. I have often resorted to heavy plastic hangers for drying some clothing & small items of cloth hanging on a sheltered porch. Another word of caution wooden hangers and wooden clothespins can sometimes leave a stain on freshly laundered whites so I have refrained from using.

These lovely heirloom pieces are now laundered and dried. As the pieces I launder are offered for sale ironing is the final step, however, please read the information in the following paragraph if your pieces are to be stored.

If you plan to store the items for a period of time you will want to store properly. It is not recommended to store starched iron pieces for an extended time as the starch can cause a deterioration of the cloth via insect etc. One method for storing would be to purchase archieval tissue paper to wrap the lovelies especially if pieces are to be stored for any length of time. Another recommendation is to store the item/s in cotton sheeting as cotton is a natural fiber which will allow air circulation and breathing of the textile. Do use 100% cotton sheeting only, with no blends or synthetic. If you don't have old cotton sheets look to purchase vintage pieces. It is a perfect solution for wrapping and storing heirloom textiles. Please, never store your treasures in plastic, cardboard boxes or against wood of a storage cupboard. The last two can cause oxidation stains to the textile. Plastic is never a good choice as it does not allow the cloth to breath.

If you have decided you want to use your treasures after freshly laundering, here are my steps for this process although you may have your own method. When I launder the pieces but before drying I use liquid starch mixed to the directions on the bottle. Each item is dipped in the solution & then aired dried to a point of being almost dry. I roll each piece and place in towel in refrigerator for a few hours or over night. Each piece is usually in a just right "dried" condition for successful ironing. Caution: all pieces must be ironed within a day or two otherwise mildew can develop.

The process of ironing freshly starched textiles by this method does require more time and is more satisfactory in the end result but a method of using bottled spray starch on completely dried fabrics just before ironing can also be employed.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Button, Button ~ A Victorian Button Charm String

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I love estate sales! It is so much fun to poke around never knowing what one might find! This particular sale was indeed a treasure hunt. Two sewing machine in one of the bedrooms caught my eye. The first one was a machine from the 1950's. All of the drawers chock full to the brim. Tidbits of this and that most with little value except sentimentally. As I moved to the older Singer sewing machine, opening the first drawer I knew I had struck a small gold mine. Deep in the drawer an assortment of sewing implements rose to the surface. Along with these few treasures a nice assortment of Victorian buttons. However, it was the next drawer that casted up its find. In all its beauty, I lifted from the drawer a marvelous Victorian button charm string. As I quickly looked it over I knew a few of the buttons were certainly of some value. Others were more common but nevertheless the string was quite long and full. That in itself I felt sure would increase its value.

After I returned home I viewed my prize more carefully. Counting the buttons they numbered over 200. The touch button, as the first one on a string is called, is quite nice. A brass button featuring a building in the center and measuring 1-5/8" in diameter. The back of the button has decorative incising.

Button charm strings were a Victorian past time with young ladies. Not only would a young woman seek buttons for her string but family members and friends would also give buttons to her. Perhaps buttons that had sentimental meaning would also be included. It is said when a lady would fill her charm string with 1000 buttons her prince charming would appear. It does sound romantic, doesn't it.

The sizes, shapes, styles do vary on this string. Of course, not two alike.