As we continue our series on caring for vintage linens and lace, it's time to cover the topic of mending...   In the very first post of this series -- the one about washing -- I told you to set aside any of your linens that needed mending since repairs should always be made prior to washing.  If you missed that post or any of the others on drying, ironing, stain removal, or storage, just click the Vintage Linens tab at the top of this blog to access them.   I wish I could tell you that if you master one type of mending, it will suffice for every necessary repair ... but I can't.  As you can see from these very few examples, vintage linens showcase a wide variety of needlework techniques, often incorporating several in ... Keep Reading...

Welcome!  Today, we're going to cover proper storage of linens.  If you missed any of the other topics ... washing, drying, ironing, storage stain removal and mystery stain removal, just click on the Vintage Linens tab above.   Whether you like to store your linens in a book-shelf style display cabinet, an 18th century linen press, or a traditional closet, there are some basic Dos and Don'ts if you want your linens to be around for generations to come.  I'm going to give you tips for how to give extremely good care to your linens ... while telling you up front that I don't follow my own advice 100% of the time.  My comfort level for time investment is probably closer to 90%.   General guidelines ... Store linens in a ... Keep Reading...

We've finally made it to the final stain removal post of this series.  If you missed any of the previous topics (washing, drying, ironing, storage stains, and mystery stains), just click on the Vintage Linens tab at the top of this blog to catch up.   Today I want to briefly cover some common everyday stains that tend to get on my vintage linens.  I suspect you have some of the same ones.  As with other types of stains, I have tried various removal methods through the years.  Sometimes they work.  Sometimes they don't.  Sometimes they just "set" the stain so that it will never come out.  So frustrating!   In fact, if you do an online search for how to remove particular stains, very often you'll find a suggestion followed by ... Keep Reading...

Well, I started this Vintage Linen Care series, so I'm sticking with it.  To those of you who are sticking with it, too ... and enjoying it ... I'm really glad.  Thank you!  It's a doozie to write!  And for those of you who aren't into vintage linens, hang in there with us a little longer.  There's a promised tablescape coming this week ... and a 31-day series I think we'll all enjoy coming in October.  More about that soon. So far in this series, we've covered washing, drying, ironing, storage stain removal, and mystery stain removal (our term for any old, non-oxidation stains). If you've missed anything – or want to review – click the Vintage Linens tab above.   In my last post about mystery stains, I told you that after years of ... Keep Reading...

  So far in this series, we've covered washing HERE, drying HERE, ironing HERE, and storage/oxidation stain removal HERE. I strongly encourage you to read these posts prior to laundering your vintage linens as there is always risk involved when cleaning a vintage textile for the first time.   We ended last time with the question ... ... and if the stains aren't oxidation stains?   For the purpose of this series, I'm going to use the term "mystery stains" for any old stains that are not oxidation stains.  After all, it's a mystery to us how they got there!   From years of experience, however, I've found that some particular stains are common on old linens.  For example, when I come across vintage or antique ... Keep Reading...

Stain removal   I suspect this is the subject many of you have been waiting for. If you missed any of the previous topics, we covered washing HERE, drying HERE and ironing HERE.   Because there are so many different kinds of stains, I'm going to break this topic into at least two posts.   Today, let's focus on what I've found to be the most common stains on old linens:  oxidation stains – often simply called "storage stains."  Their color is typically some shade of yellow or brown, sometimes orange.   I must warn you ...  This is not going to be the prettiest post I've ever published.  In fact, there's a whole lot of "nastiness" in it, but since supposedly a picture is worth a thousand words, it's ... Keep Reading...

Ironing:  the third part of our series. There are many different ways of preparing linens for ironing, and I've used many of them through the years.  In this series, I'll share with you the routine I've "settled into."  If you missed either of the previous topics, we covered washing HERE and drying HERE.   I once received an email from a blog reader who asked this question: If I may ask, what iron do you use?  My iron doesn't seem to work very well for getting the wrinkles out of linen. Maybe it doesn't get hot enough?   When I'm ironing just a few small pieces at a time, I use a Rowenta PowerGlide2 steam iron that I've had for years.  When I have a lot of ironing - or large tablecloths - I use a 1940s Ironrite ... Keep Reading...

Welcome to the first in a series of posts dedicated to helping you care for vintage linens and lace.  I'm writing this for those of you are afraid to clean your treasures for fear you will ruin them.  My goal is to help you gain enough confidence to try.  You'll be so proud of yourself when a family heirloom is returned to its once-pristine condition and ready to be enjoyed for generations to come.  After all, the best thing you can do for your vintage linens is use them!   But what if you stumbled upon this post and "old linens" aren't your thing?  It's still my hope that you'll learn a thing or two about fabric care that will help you every time you do laundry. Let's get started ...   Separate your laundry by color and ... Keep Reading...