handed down lace tablecloths
 

Anybody know what I can do with my grandmother's lace tablecloths that I inherited? They have some stains on them, doubt if I can get them out. I hate to pitch them!!!

cut nice peices out of them and frame them?

I don't know if it works yet. but, I found this beautiful curtain at a yard sale that is made simular to lace. I laid a piece of blue fabric underneath it and it made it show up so pretty. I thought I might try quilting it and making it into a wall hanging. You might try this. Now, something else that I've seen is starching them really heavy and placing them under glass (like in a picture frame). If the stains are bad and won't come up, Place a dried flower in that area if it is under glass. If not, then applique something over it. Hope this maybe jogged an idea loose for you.

If they are white, there is a little box product by ritz dye that takes all color out of clothing that was washed with other clothing and accidently colored. I am pretty sure this will solve the problem of the stains. I use either zout or shout for stains and that works for me, but they aren't set in stains. I keep thinking I read somewhere about removing stains from antique linens, but, for the life of me I can't remember where it was. Maybe google it?

Found it...

http://www.antique-linens.com/laundering.html

I just saw something on tv about removing stains from white cloth. Take a couple of aspirin, dissolve them in a very small amount of water and brush that on the stain. I haven't tried it but the tip came from a woman whose entire house is decorated in white and she lives on a very large horse farm and has children! It may be worth a try.

I have had good luck soaking old quilts (don't see why it wouldn't work for tablecloths) in a washing machine filled with warm water, laundry detergent, and Oxi-Clean (or however you spell it!) Agitate for a few minutes before putting in the fabric, then turn washer off and let it soak overnight. In the morning, turn on washer and let it complete its cycle. This has salvaged some pretty badly stained stuff. Hope it works for you!

Seems evident most of us would like to see the cloths stay as is from all the comments. I have had some success with the product BIZ. Follow the directions on the box....basic info is to fill a pail with water and BIZ soak for several days. Change the water and start over. Worth a try.

Also I have seen window treatments made from lace table cloths. Maybe a simple swag at the top of a window.

You could use dye and make them a different color...Procion dyes..that's what I'd do.

I love old table clothes, lace, linen etc. I am always looking for them at Thrift shops.

I am in no way at all affiliated with them, but Amway used to make a product called Amazing White or some such name. I use the last of my supply a couple years ago and cannot recall the name. It worked wonders on natural fibre table linens. It was probably similar to Oxyclean.

I love old lace, use it in my crazy quilting. You might try 1 part Dawn with 2 parts peroxide in a spray bottle.