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.

Believe it or not, I've also heard of dissolving denture tablets in water and soaking in THAT.

I swagged an old lace tablecloth over a rod above my bedroom window. If the stains on yours are not too large, this might be a good use for a while.

There is a product called Retro Clean too that might help the stains. It's on sale at Fabric Depot right now. http://www.fabricdepot.com/index.php...&pageid=186716

Jan in VA

I bought a crocheted tablecloth at a yard sale, that had a large stain, for $5. After a soak in Oxyclean, it is now spotless. :-)

Lucky you! Keep them - they are heirlooms.

Be very careful if you decide to cut the tablecloth into smaller pieces. I am thinking that if it was crocheted (Is that a word?), it will unravel if cut. Many tablecloths of that era were crochet. I would try getting the stains out. "Grandma's Stain Remover" works great. I got my bottle at my favorite LQS.
Sue

I love thread crochet items. Mostly because I know the amount of time it takes to make one. A hand crocheted tablecloth or table topper (doiley) is becoming a rare item to find.

First try a long soak (2-3 days) in all fabric (non-chlorine) bleach. Gets out a lot of the age-type stains. I use it a lot on antique quilts.

Thanks to all you ladies! I will try to salvage them!

just a few thoughts on the "old" lace tablecloths...........I have a stash of them, along with hand embroidered tablecloths made for me by an dear now departed aunt, doilies crocheted by my mom, hand embroidered dresser scarves from antique stores, along with pillow cases....not to mention my "silverware" and "good china and crystal".....and as I grow older I am beginning to realize
these "things" will not be treasured by those who have to go thru my stuff......what to do............I still use these things at family gatherings, but will all this be given to "Goodwill", probably so.

Oh, please find a way to clean them. I did see a link in later messages. Then use the clothes for special or even not so special occasions. Much like our quilts, table linens were made to be used. Gentle, loving use will honor the maker and the intent of the makers. What a gift that you have. Heritage is our special connection to our past.

Same here. I have decided to use some of the doilys as over skirts for the antibellium skirts for umbrella girl blocks for my 3 granddaughters. They will never appreciate all the hand work my mother, grandmother & great grandmother put into these things. My daughter does a "tiny" bit but really isn't interested & she only has boys.
I also have a beautiful crocheted lace tablecloth my great grandmother made & it's hugh! That will probably end up at the thrift store when I'm gone

I have puchased old lace tablecloths, tea dyed them and made pillows out of them. I sew the lace to a plain tea dyed fabric {pillow size} then decoate the lace top with beading, doilies, small flowers, buttons etc. I also do this with old chinelle bedspreads. I have made many of these for gifts. GodBless

Hi, what a lovely find, did she make it.?
Now my friend who had to make a table cloth all in white did the 10minute block. Then she put lace in differs places. Ie the centre square if you roll the edges back they can cover a small square inside the when you hand or machine round. The final quilt her son said was the best ever made.

Hi, what a lovely find, did she make it.?
Now my friend who had to make a table cloth all in white did the 10minute block. Then she put lace in differs places. Ie the centre square if you roll the edges back they can cover a small square inside the when you hand or machine round. The final quilt her son said was the best ever made.

For small stubborn stains, I use a mix of asprin (cheap stuff is fine) and a little water. Dab with q-tip on stain. As long as the stain keeps getting lighter, i keep doing it. air dry. It doesn't take long to dry so plan to do repeat several times and you will be amazed at what it can do.

I, too, have had great luck using Biz to remove stains and get rid of dyes that bled in the wash. I followed package directions
and actually soaked the items for a whole week. The results were amazing!
Lynne from Michigan

I found an old dresser runner with a very dark spot in it. I tried to get it out, but it was so long ago that I can't remember exactly what I used. Probably Biz or it might have been bleach. The stain came out completely, and so did the FABRIC. So now I had a runner with a hole in it. Only the circle of fabric where the stain had been was affected, the rest was fine.
So be careful what you use on really old things. And get stains out as soon as you can!

Most quilt stores have a soaking soluntion for stains on old fabrics, Retro It works great. I used it on 100 yr old
Christening gowns.

I have the same issue but I don't have ANY family: gorgeous crystal, dishes, silverware, collections of Hummels and Royal Copenhagen and Royal Doulton pieces etc.etc. I assume it will all wind up in a dumpster or on a "3 pieces for 10 cents" table. Young people don't want stuff like this -- they want things that are "disposable" or are cheap enough to be replaced when the "fashions" change. The only good thing is that I won't be around to see what happens........

I have a pattern somewhere that I was going to make that uses lace in a corner of each block then moved around around until you like the pattern you come up with. You could use the lace from one that you cannot get all of the stains out of. This one called for doillies that you cut in half & quarters. I would try to clean them first though.

I have seen quilt pannels made with crocheted doilies sewn on blocks. I guess you could use pieces of the tablecloths for curtains, table runners etc. Have you tried wshing in Oxiclean solution to remove stains.

I have my Mother's old lace tablecloth which I soaked in Oxyclean. I took a chance and it worked. I love to put a red table cloth underneath for Xmas and use candles/decoration to cover any stains that didn't come out. It looks really pretty and I have my Mother's special tablecloth full of memories to cherish for the holidays. I often thought of taking it or some other old clothes and making pillows out of the good parts. Dawn dish soap is a great idea too. I soak my jewelry in it mixed with water. Good Luck & Happy Holidays.

I've had good luck with a solution of Cascade (powdered original kind) and Dawn dishwashing liquid (original) disolved in hot water and left to soak for several hours or overnight.

My mom always put straight lemon juice on stains on white and then let them lay on the grass in the sun. It seemed to work pretty well.
Also, there is a teacher, Cindy Needham that teaches classes on quilting on old linens, tablecloths, etc. I know she is teaching at Road to California in Jan. in Ontario, CA. She also teaches at Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar this year. I am taking her class there in April. She teaches other places also. I understand she is a great teacher. She has a website and you might put her name in a web search to find out more. She might have ideas for appliqueing something over a stain while quilting.

I have inherited crocheted tablecloths, doilies, and even a bedspread from my mom. She gave me a large round doily which was made out of dark tan (almost brown) thread. I didn't like the color so I soaked it in a strong bleach solution overnight. In the morning I reached in to take it out of the solution and it literally came apart in my hand. Inwas devastated, to say the least, but I learnedly that bleach is not a good friend to cotton crochet thread.

My Mom recently Passed away as much as I would love to have all her things I have no place for it. She has many things labeled with who it was from I will try to do the same for my children but if it ends up in a garage sale it is someone else s treasure. I would soak the tablecloths in oxy clean overnight in the bathtub and gently rinse. try again if all the stains are not removed

Soak them in some Oxy-clean. You'd be surprised what comes out.

Pillow tops are a good use. or cut and use as appliques. if the lace is getting fragile, you can always lay a thin layer of nylon or some see thru fabric over them and do a bit of quilting on them

If the stains are not horrendous--ignore them.
If they're on the table top part, layer a smaller cloth over them.
Use the tablecloth on a little table or stand and gather the sides up with ribbon.
Put a sheer, printed fabric over the lace cloth to disguise the spots.


For those who fear their treasures will be dumped or given to Goodwill, Google "vintage linens" and you will see there are many buyers, sellers, collectors out there. Our county historical society and the one in the Maryland county next to us are proud to display these beautiful needleworks, especially with provenance......find out if there is a group or individual to whom you would like to name in your will. (There are textile museums, too.)

there is a product called RESTORE . check that out.

soak in oxy clean powdered dissolved in warm water. You may have to soak several days. I have had great success removing old coffee and tea stains.