Cream of Tartar and Bleach
 

Yesterday, I went to the Mo. State Fair. There was a beautiful cross-stitched quilt that a person had resurrected and completed. In the story, she mentioned that she had used, if I remember correctly, a whole can of cream of tartar and bleach to take out the rust stains. Diluted in water and swished about. I am hoping that someone knows about this, more than I read, and proportions, thoughts about what kept the embroidery thread from losing its colors, etc. There was a lady who also stood beside me and read the story and she was puzzled, too. The quilt was so pretty and dainty and certainly looked spanking new and no blue marks were left where the cross-stitch was, which she said had come out in the solution as well. Can anyone enlighten me about the process? Thank you.

sounds fascinating... i'd love to know also

Can't imagine the bleach not affecting the color in a negative way. I have heard of cream of tartar and bleach on a hard surface but not together on fabric/thread of any type.

Most of the methods of using Cream of Tartar have it being substituted for the bleach.

Bleach weakens fibers, so I can't imagine her using bleach on a project like this. A quick Google showed cream of tartar being used instead of bleach, or in combination with hydrogen peroxide (although I think hp is also hard on fabric).

a quick Google search provided this:
Cream of Tartar is an alternative to household bleach. Use it mixed with half as much vinegar or water anywhere you would use bleach.
Fabric stains? Mix a few teaspoons of cream of tartar with some glycerin and use like spray-and-wash.

The stuff I learn from this board is just amazing. Thanks to Quilter 65 for bringing up this thread

Maybe she said cream of tartar INSTEAD of bleach, but that isn't the way we two ladies read it. Had a husband waiting so had to move fast!! Am helping a friend with her mother's cross-stitched blocks and there is that blue marking so wanted to find a way that would help, and not lose the color. Never googled first, which is what I usually do. Too much fair.

Cream of tartar? Well, I've learned another new one thank's to this group. Thank's!

Very interesting and worth a try!

I had an quilt emboridered with thread from "50's. The fabric around it had faded so bad I got mad and washed in a cup of bleach to see what happened. The border that was once blue came out pink but the thread did not change one bit. I think older thread just holds color better. Hanging the quilt in a room with open flame gas stove is what caused the fading to start with.