Aren’t we all just thrilled when we look at a preserved fine piece of lace that our great-grandmother stitched and handed down to her daughter, our grandmother, to bring to her new home? Or perhaps that piece of lace was part of her wedding gown or that unique tiny blanket that kept our own mother warm as a baby.  We admire the techniques and the craftsmanship, the hours of dedication it took to weave the textile, the important life moments that the final piece was witness to.  And although those people, their emotions and life events, are inadvertently gone, there it is, in front of us, this special handstitched lace or fabric, an epitome of lives past and a solid anchor of our own.

If you are lucky enough to own such a precious family heirloom, we know you are keen to ensure, with all that current science and anecdotal evidence has to advise you, that this textile treasure is in a good shape to survive the next generational handover.  But for textile that is woven out of plant fibers, such as cotton and linen, which are biodegradable and vulnerable to the effects of time and environmental conditions, this can be a daunting task.  Our team at ODAYA Home and the larger dentelliere community have already done research and shared best practices in preserving old lace of cotton or linen fiber.  For the purposes of ensuring unique pieces of lace that we know are carefully tucked in the treasure chests of many homes across the world, we would like to share some simple tips you can use to refresh and preserve your family’s textile heirlooms.

The type of lace-making technique matters

One of the most important factors to consider when estimating the realistic lifespan of lace is the technique that was used in creating it.  As we discussed in a previous article, there are different techniques one can use to make lace – weaving, knotting, and needling.  Each technique is successful in its goal to create a beautiful, ornamental piece, but weaving and knotting create lace that is tighter and more difficult to unravel.  Lace that is made using weaving and knotting is bobbin lace, including Kalofer lace, and filet lace.  If you have on your hands crochet or drawnwork, you need to be extra mindful of the sensitivity of the pattern and the overall piece’s condition if it is already at least a few decades old.

Examine the current condition of the lace

Regardless of the technique, before you start doing anything to your lace, you need to perform a careful examination of what its current condition is.  Notice the colour – is there visible change to its colour compared to what it was when the piece was created?  Is the piece whole or are there areas that comromise the strength of its grid? Look closely at the current state of the threads that have been used.  Are they whole and continuous or there are sections where the fibers have visibly thinned out or broken? If the answer to any of these questions indicates a weakness of your lace, you need to be extra careful in the process of revitalising it.

Easy home care tips for heritage lace

Once you are more confident what you have on your hands and knowing the extent to which it is reasonable to expect original state recovery, there are some simple steps you can take to refresh the look and strengthen the resilience of your family lace in the future.

First, the type of water you will use is of prime importance.  Not many of us have even considered the extent of the impact that the water that is used for washing any textile piece has on its structure and look.  You probably never suspected, but stains on textile, that appear with time, are usually rust from minerals and other chemicals in the water that was used in the final wash before storing the piece.  To ensure that your care will ensure a long and beautiful life for your lace, you need to review the copper and iron levels of the water you intend to use and how chlorinated it is.  Usually, water coming directly from wells is not advisable for caring for dated lace.  Tap water with low levels of copper and iron could be ok for a first wash, but the final wash of delicate lace is always advisable to be done with distilled water.

Once you have the right water to wash your lace, make sure that you wash extremely gently.  Experts advise handwashing at all times.  You could stitch the lace loosely to a piece of cloth that you carefully soak in tepid water.  If the threads of the lace are especially damaged, you can sandwich the lace between two pieces of cloth and then soak.  Do not use any detergents, or if you absolutely need to, make sure you rinse thoroughly a number of times with tap water with the final round of rinsing being with distilled water.  Once the washing is done, leave to dry horizontally on a towel, away from direct sunlight.  You could iron heritage lace, but be careful that if you use steam, the same principle needs to be applied – be mindful of the water that you use in the iron or use distilled water to be on the safe side.

Last, but not least, store in a cool, dry space and consider how to enhance the story that your family heirloom tells.  Could you breathe new life to it by using it, or a replica of it, in an item that would take in part of your current story? Or are there ways you can display it so that it reminds you of your strong heritage and the care and diligence your ancestors have bequeathed you?

We at ODAYA Home value each piece’s story and are always fascinated to learn of yet another masterpiece that has humbly kept its story for years on end.  Our experience working with lace has allowed us to resurrect designs of the past and to empower them into contemporary textile for modern homes.  If you have a question about your heritage lace or ideas on a unique project to breathe new life into it, our team would love to hear from you.