Nannies' Lace

Years ago, I received a box of my Grandmothers' Lace from my Mother. I was thrilled to be entrusted with this box of loveliness from the past. I have many projects planned for all of this lace and have spent the past few days gently washing it all. I searched the net for the best way to clean old lace without damaging it. One site said to use Dreft detergent....it is for babies and it is very gentle on vintage fabrics. Well, it worked wonderfully! I soaked the lace in batches in Dreft and warm water. You would not believe the nasty icky gunk that soaked out of it. Some of it is still a little damaged and stained, but that adds to it as far as I am concerned.

I plan to make pillows, collages, and some of it, I may just display the lace itself. The lace collar below is one of those pieces that I just could not cut into pieces. It would be a sin!!

Lovely, lovely lace! I love the pattern of this one (above)

Piles of lace and doilies! With washing all of this lace, my house looks like a bordeaux with lace hanging on everything to dry. My hubby thinks I am NUTS....lol!!! What does a man know about these things???

Another lace collar. Very fine lace with a little damage, but still usable. I will find something to use it for.
More piles of lace. I love the beige trim and while looking at it, I thought it would look awesome with some burlap that color and make a pillow out of it. Woooohooooo!!
I love the pattern of this lace and I have quite a bit of it.
Here is the trim at the bottom of a little dress. The dress is shown below and it didn't get washed. There are places where the fabric is so thin that is has torn a little. I'm afraid that if I wash it, more damage would be done.
Click on the above picture and look at all the pintucking on the bodice. There is a lot of work there. So beautiful.

I hope that you have enjoyed my little lace tour.....I have more to wash and dry yet, so might take somemore photos. There is a very large piece of black lace and I think it was either a shawl or maybe a piano scarf at one time. It is in such poor shape that it tears if not handled gently.

So I think I will leave it alone for now.

Have a good weekend everyone!!

hugs, Sue