What You Make of it

What You Make of It - Technique Cleaning Vintage Linens Part 2

Catherine of Crochet Bee has been kind enough to share with us some amazing "tricks of the trade" for cleaning vintage linens. Be sure to visit part one of this series for even more helpful tricks.

                                              

Lemon Juice and Salt
Usually if nothing else works, this will do it for me when cleaning white fabric. I first dampen the fabric and then wet the stain with fresh lemon juice, cover the area with table salt. Lay your fabric in the sun. You have to keep the lemon juice wet. The material will dry fast so be attentive. Sometimes you will see the salt take up the stain. This can be a long process, but it usually does the trick. Sometimes you will see yellow spots left from the lemon juice. Hand washing in your normal detergent will take care of that. Try and keep your items away from birds. I have had tiny doilies carried off into nests and then there are the droppings.

Linens Cleaning Formula.
Mix equal parts 20 Mule Team Borax, Biz and liquid detergent with color safe bleach. Use hot water and soak the fabric for five or six hours. Rinse well and repeat the soaking if necessary with fresh water. When the spots are gone, rinse well till the water is clear. Do not wring or twist. Lay flat or hang to dry. Use plastic clothes pins as wooden pins can stain your fabric. Heat in machine dryers will damage vintage linens. Doilies can be placed on a towel, shaped to the original size and air dried. I pin my doilies to the towel to help keep the shape.

                                             

Ironing and Starch
Iron your linens while they are damp. Buy the best iron you can afford. A heavy iron saves time and work. Usually I don`t get my linens off the clothes line while they are damp. I dampen them again, roll up, put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or the freezer. When it`s time to iron, I use steam on the cotton or linen setting. I don`t spray my linens as I iron because I tend to scorch them. Spray starch is a nice finishing touch. Spray sizing makes your linens look extra gorgeous. Don`t store starched linens because bugs love`em!

This cleaning business can be tedious, but it`s worth the time. These cleaning steps have worked for me, but there are the stains that will never come out. Just enjoy the linens anyway. You are most likely the only one who knows the stain is there.

That's it for this series of cleaning vintage linens. If you love the aprons featured and the information provided, head over to Catherine's shop Crochet Bee for a huge selection of vintage aprons and more.

Catherine of Crochet Bee has been kind enough to share with us some amazing "tricks of the trade" for cleaning vintage linens. Be sure to visit part one of this series for even more helpful tricks.

                                              

Lemon Juice and Salt
Usually if nothing else works, this will do it for me when cleaning white fabric. I first dampen the fabric and then wet the stain with fresh lemon juice, cover the area with table salt. Lay your fabric in the sun. You have to keep the lemon juice wet. The material will dry fast so be attentive. Sometimes you will see the salt take up the stain. This can be a long process, but it usually does the trick. Sometimes you will see yellow spots left from the lemon juice. Hand washing in your normal detergent will take care of that. Try and keep your items away from birds. I have had tiny doilies carried off into nests and then there are the droppings.

Linens Cleaning Formula.
Mix equal parts 20 Mule Team Borax, Biz and liquid detergent with color safe bleach. Use hot water and soak the fabric for five or six hours. Rinse well and repeat the soaking if necessary with fresh water. When the spots are gone, rinse well till the water is clear. Do not wring or twist. Lay flat or hang to dry. Use plastic clothes pins as wooden pins can stain your fabric. Heat in machine dryers will damage vintage linens. Doilies can be placed on a towel, shaped to the original size and air dried. I pin my doilies to the towel to help keep the shape.

                                             

Ironing and Starch
Iron your linens while they are damp. Buy the best iron you can afford. A heavy iron saves time and work. Usually I don`t get my linens off the clothes line while they are damp. I dampen them again, roll up, put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or the freezer. When it`s time to iron, I use steam on the cotton or linen setting. I don`t spray my linens as I iron because I tend to scorch them. Spray starch is a nice finishing touch. Spray sizing makes your linens look extra gorgeous. Don`t store starched linens because bugs love`em!

This cleaning business can be tedious, but it`s worth the time. These cleaning steps have worked for me, but there are the stains that will never come out. Just enjoy the linens anyway. You are most likely the only one who knows the stain is there.

That's it for this series of cleaning vintage linens. If you love the aprons featured and the information provided, head over to Catherine's shop Crochet Bee for a huge selection of vintage aprons and more.

What You Make of It - Technique - Cleaning Vintage Linens Part 1

Catherine of Crochet Bee has been kind enough to share with us some amazing "tricks of the trade" for cleaning vintage linens.

The Basics Of Cleaning Linens
My hope is that after you read these cleaning tips you will be more comfortable using your antique and vintage linens. I write from personal experience. My closets are bursting with vintage tablecloths, napkins, doilies and runners. It was a shame I didn`t use and enjoy them. I have come a long way, finally getting enjoyment from those long stored beauties because I know how to keep them clean.

Getting Started
Your vintage linens will more than likely be yellowed, show brown age spots and maybe have a stain or two. The folds in the fabric are sometimes yellowed. I have yet to find a product than will remove old blood stains. I do buy seemingly hopeless tablecloths and napkins. Usually they come clean. Sometimes I get the spots to a very pale yellow that I can see in natural light, but not on the table.

Make sure your fabric is colorfast before you use any of these cleaning methods. We will start with the gentlest method first.
(pictured left, Vintage Red Paisley Apron at Crocet Bee)

White Vinegar and Water.
I use vinegar and water on linens that look brown, tan, are stained and smelly with cigarette smoke or look like they need a brightening. Check to see if your fabrics are colorfast. Put the material on a white towel and dab the colors in an inconspicuous area with a white cloth and cool water. If the dyes run, you can see color on the towel, your item is not colorfast. If your water is rusty or has little particles in it, I recommend that you use bottled or distilled water to soak your linens. The minerals can stain your fabric. (pictured left Vintage Reversible Apron)

Soak your linens in about two gallons of cool water with one cup of white vinegar. You can soak more than one thing at a time as long as you can freely slosh it around. Usually the water will turn yellow in short order. Sometimes you have to let things sit for a few hours checking the progress every hour or so. When the discoloration is gone, rinse well in clear water and hand wash in your favorite detergent, rinse again and hang or lay flat to dry. If the discoloration persists you can move on to the next step.

Twenty Mule Team Borax.
I recommend using a dust mask when you use any cleaning powders. You can buy these little masks just about anywhere. The dust from Borax and Oxiclean (or any cleaning powder) can irritate your lungs. I recently added a cup of Borax to my wash and inhaled some of the dust. Turning your face away doesn`t work-get a mask! Had to go out to the fresh air to catch my breath. I use the Twenty Mule Team in my normal washing all the time. Borax will remove light discolorations and brighten and it`s a great water softener.

Put the items in a sink or clean bucket, add a quarter cup of Borax to two gallons of hot, not boiling water. If you think your fabric will shrink, don`t put it in hot water. You have to stir this till the Borax is all dissolved. Don`t put the powder directly on your fabric. I `ve had some linen come up with holes after I let the dry powder drop on it. Check every hour or so. When clean, wash as usual. If the spot is still there, rinse and we will move on to lemon juice and salt. (pictured Vintage tan and white gingham apron).

That's it for part one of this series of cleaning vintage linens. If you love the aprons featured and the information provided, head over to Catherine's shop Crochet Bee for a huge selection of vintage aprons and more.

Catherine of Crochet Bee has been kind enough to share with us some amazing "tricks of the trade" for cleaning vintage linens.

The Basics Of Cleaning Linens
My hope is that after you read these cleaning tips you will be more comfortable using your antique and vintage linens. I write from personal experience. My closets are bursting with vintage tablecloths, napkins, doilies and runners. It was a shame I didn`t use and enjoy them. I have come a long way, finally getting enjoyment from those long stored beauties because I know how to keep them clean.

Getting Started
Your vintage linens will more than likely be yellowed, show brown age spots and maybe have a stain or two. The folds in the fabric are sometimes yellowed. I have yet to find a product than will remove old blood stains. I do buy seemingly hopeless tablecloths and napkins. Usually they come clean. Sometimes I get the spots to a very pale yellow that I can see in natural light, but not on the table.

Make sure your fabric is colorfast before you use any of these cleaning methods. We will start with the gentlest method first.
(pictured left, Vintage Red Paisley Apron at Crocet Bee)

White Vinegar and Water.
I use vinegar and water on linens that look brown, tan, are stained and smelly with cigarette smoke or look like they need a brightening. Check to see if your fabrics are colorfast. Put the material on a white towel and dab the colors in an inconspicuous area with a white cloth and cool water. If the dyes run, you can see color on the towel, your item is not colorfast. If your water is rusty or has little particles in it, I recommend that you use bottled or distilled water to soak your linens. The minerals can stain your fabric. (pictured left Vintage Reversible Apron)

Soak your linens in about two gallons of cool water with one cup of white vinegar. You can soak more than one thing at a time as long as you can freely slosh it around. Usually the water will turn yellow in short order. Sometimes you have to let things sit for a few hours checking the progress every hour or so. When the discoloration is gone, rinse well in clear water and hand wash in your favorite detergent, rinse again and hang or lay flat to dry. If the discoloration persists you can move on to the next step.

Twenty Mule Team Borax.
I recommend using a dust mask when you use any cleaning powders. You can buy these little masks just about anywhere. The dust from Borax and Oxiclean (or any cleaning powder) can irritate your lungs. I recently added a cup of Borax to my wash and inhaled some of the dust. Turning your face away doesn`t work-get a mask! Had to go out to the fresh air to catch my breath. I use the Twenty Mule Team in my normal washing all the time. Borax will remove light discolorations and brighten and it`s a great water softener.

Put the items in a sink or clean bucket, add a quarter cup of Borax to two gallons of hot, not boiling water. If you think your fabric will shrink, don`t put it in hot water. You have to stir this till the Borax is all dissolved. Don`t put the powder directly on your fabric. I `ve had some linen come up with holes after I let the dry powder drop on it. Check every hour or so. When clean, wash as usual. If the spot is still there, rinse and we will move on to lemon juice and salt. (pictured Vintage tan and white gingham apron).

That's it for part one of this series of cleaning vintage linens. If you love the aprons featured and the information provided, head over to Catherine's shop Crochet Bee for a huge selection of vintage aprons and more.

What You Make of it - Technique - Inspirational Canvas

Inspirational Canvas
By Francine Clouden

 

 

Supplies Needed
Canvas or canvas board

Two colours of Ranger Perfect Pearls (I used Sparkle Yellow and Rust)

Ranger Embossing ink

Ranger clear embossing powder

Acrylic stamps and fabric butterfly: Alpha Stamps

Two spray bottles

Paper towels

Rub-ons: 7 Gypsies

Sticker: Daisy D’s

Trim: Prima Marketing

 

Instructions

 

1. Ink your stamp with embossing ink and randomly stamp image across the canvas.

 

I did my stamping in a trail across the canvas because of the follow your bliss theme I was going for.

 

2. Cover with embossing powder and tap off the excess. Because the canvas is textured make sure to really tap it against your table so that it adheres only to the stamped image.

 

3. Use heat gun to melt embossing powder

 

 

 

 

4. Mix lighter colour of Perfect Pearls with a little water in a spray bottle

 

 

And spray over entire canvas.

 

Don’t worry about any drips or drabbles, that will only add to the effect J

 

Let dry entirely. If you’re impatient (like me!) you might want to use your heat gun to speed this process up a bit.

 

5. Once dry mix second colour of Perfect Pearls and spray over canvas, making sure to concentrate on the areas of the canvas that are still white.

 

6. At this point you can use a crumpled up piece of paper towel to dab into the wet “ink”. This gives a nice texture to the pattern

 

 

 

7. You can choose to either stop at this point or add another layer of colour.

Once the canvas is dry use a clean paper towel or soft cloth to wipe colour off the embossed image

 

 

 

 

8. Now you can decorate the canvas to suit your theme!

 

 

Some details:

 

A Special thanks to Francine Clouden  for sharing this wonderful tutorial. Please take a minute to visit her links for her designs and more!

Personal Blog: 
Designs Blog:  
Etsy shop: 

© 2008 All Rights Reserved

 

What You Make of It - How To Make a Vintage Greeting Card

Hey there crafters! I'd like to introduce you to Niki the owner of The Vintage Artist. She is a mixed media artist who uses vintage elements in her artwork.  She also creates how to videos for various crafts, projects and techniques. Today, she has graciously shared her How to video on How to Make a Vintage Greeting Card.

Please visit her website and let her know how much you appreciate her how to video and to view more of her gorgeous artwork.

What You Make of it - Yasmin Bochi Image Transfer

What a fabulous treat I have for you today. I'd like to introduce you to the wonderful and talented Yasmin Bochi. I've completly fallen mad over her design and style.

Check out this Trashion Baroque Japan Jacket, not only a jacket but a true piece of artwork. An upcycled jacket that features gorgeous fabrics, a hand painted cameo and more. After the tutorial I hope you'll head over to Yasmin's amazing shop full of unique and gorgeous chic jewelry, handbags & clothing.

Image Transfer Tutorial

If like to try out an alternative for those expensive iron-on, then maybe you should have a look at this! I love this transfer technique, it's cheap, easy and fun because you can achieve different "looks": from distressed to crisp images...it's worth a try!

 

What do you need:

soap shavings

turpentine

a piece of fabric and a fresh inkjet print

and : a well ventilated workspace!
Get a cup and fill it 1/4 with hot water, add two tabelspoons of soap shavings and stir. Then add a table spoon of turpentine and keep stirring until it looks like this:

 

 

Now we're ready to print! get your piece of paper and apply the soap and turpentine mix to the front of your print:

 

 

 

 

 

Then put it face down on your piece of fabric. Press it down firmly and apply the mix to the back. The paper will become slightly transparent. The mix can be applied quite thick, as long as you are careful not to rip up the paper. I like to use my hands to rub down the print, but a spoon is very handy too, it depends of the effect you desire:

 

Now peel back carefully ...and there it is!

How to "set" the print

Of course you don't want your image to fade after the first wash, but please note that that transfer technique is experimental : depending on the mix and amount of soap and turpentine you will get a stronger or weaker print. There are a few tricks for settings the transfer though:

Let your transfer dry for 24 hours. Get a spraying can ( you know, for spraying or watering your plants) and fill it with 50% water and 50% white vinegar. Spray it on the transfer and let it dry. After that you have to iron your transfer on high temperature or use a heat press. Repeat the last two steps( (spraying can and ironing) a few times, but don't rinse in between. When you have done this 3 or 4 times you can take an additional step and use some varnish on the transfer The fabric will become a bit stiffer, but if you do it carefully with thin layers you can obtain a nice result. This last step is recommended for transferring on t-shirts, but if you are just making appliqués or transfers that don't need to be washed frequently, you can skip this step.

Thanks Yasmin for such a fantastic tutorial, I think I'm going to give it a try! Be sure to head over to Yasmin Bochi's shop!

All contributed content in this tutorial © Yasmin Bochi} Please do not copy or redistribute without permission.