The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-08-30
CLEANING LACE.

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it may sometimes be satisfactorily
mixture of equal quantities of fine
salt and flour, leaving a while, then
shaking the powder out, and, if
necessary, brushing with soft,
clean brush, and dry magnesia will
sometimes serve the purpose.
Except where the lace is made up
with colored materials that do not
soil so readily and it becomes adj
visable to try cleaning, washing is
more satisfactory. and many kinds
of lace, if carefully treated, will
emerge looking nearly as good as
when new, even after many wash
ings.
Any necessary repairs should be
made, for with the utmost care
there is danger of small holes being
converted into large rents. Then
for the washing make lather by
shredding plain white or yellow
soap into boiling water, and when
this has cooled somewhat dip the
lace in, moving it up and down,
pressing with the hands and half
squeezing it until the dirt is out.
Avoid any semblance of rubbing,
wringing or even definite squeezing,
for the delicate threads snap most
Unexpectedly. Rinse carefully in
several tepid waters.
When ironing use a soft blanket
folded several times, covered with
piece of fine, soft, white material,
nainsook for preference; lay the
lace on this, right side downward,
and turn the nainsook up over it.
Press lightly with a moderately hot
iron until fairly dry, then remove
the nainsook covering, and iron the
wrong side of the lace itself, taking
care to keep the edges in good
shape, threads straight, ETC., and
continue until quite dry.
After a little practice the left
hand will grow expert in manipulate
ing the lace while the right hand
wields the iron, and it is on this
manipulation together with the pre-
vious pulling into shape, that the
success of the ironing very largely
depends. Without it, or indeed
with any want of care in the ironing
process, lace ties and sleeves assume
ugly shapes, edges and scallops lose
their beauty, threads take all sorts
of curves, and for the time the lace
is no longer joy to its owner.
If the lace has a design in some
what high relief the ironing process
may be dispensed with as destroy
ing it's chief beauty. Should the
lace be in length it may be wound
carefully around a bottle or straight
jar, the edges being pulled out and
threads Strengthened during the
winding and the ends finally secured
by very small pins, and then left to
dry.
If in the form of a collar it should
be pulled into shape and spread out
on towel afterward, every point
being carefully pinned down in its
proper place; the towel may then be
hung up by two corners and the col
lar left to dry. This method should
always be adopted for Irish crochet
and similar laces which also require
no stiffening.
When cleaning old or valuable
lace at home another method may
be tried. If in a long piece, wind
1T carefully around a straight-sided
jar, having a piece of linen sewn
tightly around it, making sure that
all points and edges are we'll pulled
out into their proper position, and
that no crumpling or folding occurs,
The winding will be easier If the
end of the lace is sewn to the linen
on the jar, and the other end must
also be finally tackled down to keep
1t in position.
For short lengths or shaped pieces
OF lace use linen in place of the jar,
tacking them carefully to 1t so that
the cotton holds every single point
securely in its right place; then fold
the linen smoothly. Next thorough
ly saturate the lace with the best
sweet oil and leave it for few
hours, until next morning, if it is
convenient when it must be boiled
in lather made of white CASTLE or
other good soap and boiling water
until the lace is quite clean, which
will take about twenty minutes for
fine kinds, longer for those made of
coarser Observation-Disclosures In
quirer.
Tho la4faro frax., NArlaaharA