Monday 13 January 2014

PILLOW TALK






A French hand embroidered down bed cushion, with coloured paper background
Below, an all white embossed pique cushion
not very visible despite a good light and flash.

I am still a novice in all the skills of scanning, printing and blog networking, but I find the exploring, learning part quite fun and venture to pass on my tips for sending recognisable and revealing pictures of fine textured white linen and lace. I remembered recently that when my eldest daughter Caroline went to a very basic and old-fashioned Domestic Science College in Eastbourne, one of their weekly tests involved presenting a perfectly laundered piece of embroidery and lace. They were taught to pin pale blue tissue paper behind so that the designs showed up well. (They also learnt how to make Calf's Foot Jelly for invalids - shades of Mrs Beeton). I found some dark blue tissue, 'acid free and bleed resistant', in my local stationers and when I sent 'improved' images to USA and Australia they were good enough to sell the items over there. It works for drawn thread work and anything with holes and 'brides' as in Richelieu lace. When trying to catch the pattern on damask linen I find it best to make a tidy 1/2 crease across the centre of the piece being scanned and the light catches some of the glossy design. Not perfect, but better than a large expanse of flat white stuff that means nothing much to a possible buyer. In another Blog I will explain the Rule of 3 (another Eastbourne laundry rule!)

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