Heirlooms via monograms in machine embroidery
One of my most treasured moments is to go shopping for vintage linens. I seem to collect quite a few of them, some embroidered but mostly plain. The plain ones are washed by hand and ironed to set aside for some special embroidery to adorn them. Ofcourse as much as hand embroidery is a treasured art, yet the same translated into machine embroidery for our future generations is my goal and ambition.
Monograms have always been special. Social position and standing were determined by the monogrammed linens in a household. Intricate patterns were created by ladies who spent hours embroidering the motifs onto tea towels, bath towels, bed sheets, pillow cases etc. These items were generally of pure linen. With this in mind, I adapted a simple font so it portrayed a bit of the Victorian era with intricate vines, flowers and leaves. I wanted the monogram to be quite large but knowing most of my friends prefer the 4×4 hoop, I opted to create the monogram in three sizes with the smallest being more plain. To compensate for its plain look, I took the same vines etc within the letters to create borders which would give a Vintage look to the whole embroidery. My first test sew was on Susan Mars’ tea towel (http://www.allaboutblanks.com) I don’t know if I have ever said this, but I have purchased linen from just about every resource on the internet. For quality linen time and again, I always return to Susan’s website. The plain tea towel took on a completely different life with the monogram, I loved it.
One special thing about linen. If you are going to store it and not use it often, may I suggest never to starch it. Starch tends to leave brown spots onto the linen with time and also discolors it into a yellowy looking fabric. It is always best to starch only if linen will be used. So many times when I am shopping for antique linens, I have to shake my head at the gorgeous linens yellowed and or spotted due to starch.
I wanted to see how the monogram would look on a vintage piece of linen so off I went to my favorite antique mall near town. Rummaging through various booths, I did manage to find some of those large linen bath towels. Unfortunately, they were heavily spotted and had a bit of a tear here and there. Working with the machine and zigzagging threads over the holes, I was able to fix that but the yellow spots were quite stubborn. I only use soft hand dish washing detergent for washing antique linens as agitation in washing machine might tear them further. Embroidering it with the largest of the Vintage Monogram I letter “A” I decided to create a sort of a crest around it using some of the border designs. The embroideries perked up the antique bath towel immediately. A vintage monogram for a vintage bath towel….seems like I’m on the right track.
Beautiful embroidery. Did you use varigated thread in the letter A? Ann
Hello Ann, thank you for your comment. I believe you are referring to the large Monogram on the bath towel, if so, no I did not use variegated thread. The digitizing is done with running stitches therefore giving shading effect in certain areas. Hugs, Sadia
sadia, first let me say “stunning” absolutely beautiful!
now, for those stains and spots…have you ever tried clorox2 color non-chlorine bleach? i used this on some old baby clothes my then hubby had when he was a baby. they were really badly stained…i soaked them for several days even…all the spots came out beautifully, and the baby clothes are still with us today and in great shape…they would have been 23 years old when i first used the non-chlorine bleach and now would be over 50 years old, so i would say that is a pretty safe test…unless they have changed the formula since then….
i have also used a product called BIZ in the very distant past and do not even know if it is still available. it is also a non-chlorine enzyme bleach much like the clorox 2, so it seems to me that it might actually be good for the fabric, removing proteins that might be fuel for the future rotting process???
i guess if a person wanted to experiment they could purchase a very worn vintage piece…one which would not be cried over if the experiment failed, and just soak away in any enzyme bleach product available…if it works, then you could proceed to more valuable pieces.
disclaimer: i am not a scientist or fiber expert at all, so use your own judgement…i can only say what worked for me from my own memory and experience…it is amazing how quickly the 28 years since i first soaked those garments have gone by, but now that i think back, it was a great experiment and it is so nice to know now that such products may enhance the life of a vintage piece. this is all in my most humble opinion.
have fun with those heirlooms, they truly are almost ruined anyway when covered with stains…if it isn’t a piece with significant historical relevance or sentimental value, you don’t have a whole lot at stake when you experiment.
one more consideration i just thought of is that if you just love the yellowish or “ivory” tone of aged linens, you might find the results of the non-chlorine bleach to be a brighter white than you started with…something to consider before you dunk those stains in for thier soak.
jc
JC, thank you so much for your comments and advice, I appreciate it. Even non-chlorine Bleach is something that I was taught very early on never to use especially in vintage linens and fabrics. True it is a wonderful product and can be watered down yet it can actually harm the fibers rather than help. Instead an antique assessor friend of mine had recommended a product called “Restoration” which is specifically made for antique linens and fabrics. I had purchased one bottle several years ago and find it really helps especially in yellowing and or rust stains. Biz is also not a bad product but I’ve been sold on Restoration and use it often. Soaking is one thing that I definitely agree with and also rinsing. I also find that wringing the water out of the vintage piece can also harm the fabric and would suggest rolling on a towel to get the excess water out. Yes, I do agree that non-chlorine bleach can sometimes whiten too much, that is why I prefer the other product. Hugs, Sadia
Sadia, You have done it again. These monograms and borders are the best that I have seen. I will be proud to use these on gifts. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful talents with us. Marilyn
Thank you Marilyn so much. I truly appreciate your comment and support. Hugs, Sadia
I use Restoration to soak out very old yellowing, rust stains, even a 55 year old orange soda stain on a heavy satin dress I wore as a flower girl in the 40′s. I learned of this product on a site that sells antique linens. Restoration is available from Engleside Products in Lancaster, Pa. They have very specific instructions on soaking and it can take several days, but it works and it does not contain bleach or phosphates. I look for old linens too and have been able to brighten up cottons and linens that have been washed or stored improperly. Oh, yes, very much like your victorian monograms.
resotration…sounds wonderful…i must find some…i do agree that i was not wild about the non-chlorine bleach in most applications and especially it’s whitening tendencies, but i guess Biz IS different, being an enzyme and not a bleach at all…anyway, some things i think about when deciding what to do with a vintage piece are:
-how damaged is the piece already…some stains practically ruin the piece, or perhaps it is all torn and only parts are even useable…so i ask myself, is there any historic value to the piece.?..is there any sentimental value? would another person place sentimental value on a piece, i.e. i may not care, but if it is special to someone else, then it shouldn’t be risked.
-can i start safe and work my way up the risk continuum evaluating along the way if i want to take the next most risky step…
-how valuable is the piece? if it is a really valuable antique, then i would not even mess with it and i would dontate it to a museum, on the other hand, if it was just something i picked up at a flea market with no history attached to it, i might be more daring…especially if i am not trying to create a new heirloom, maybe i am just going for shabby chic…i guess it is just relative…
and last but not least…with my limited memory of chemistery, biology and such, i do think that some stains are more dangerous to a fabric than the method used to remove them…i.e. a protein stain might attract hungry critters, or might hasten rot or other deterioration of the fabric…i think this is where an enzyme might come in handy and actually remove the protein from the fabric…so i guess it makes sense to decide which option is harder on the fabric and pick the lesser evil.
sadia, do you know what action the restoration product uses to remove stains…i.e. is it enzymeatic?
i also wonder about fells naptha soap (forgive my spelling) i think it is just plain old soap, but it sure does get lots of tough stains out…
i just love trying to remove stains…i thought i was really weird until i heard oprah say that she also loves to remove stains…if it’s good enough for oprah, then it ought to be fine for me too. except i am wondering about myself…having this much to say about stains…oh well…it’s a challenge i enjoy…and the older and more clumsy i get, the more stains i have to work with…LOL