Doily

[PurplePerson]

I took in a crocheted doily. It is the kind that people once starched and it stood up in a ruffled fashion.

I know I plan to stitch it down, but does anyone have any ideas on how to make it look ruffled without doing any thing that will harm it?

The mounting is left up to me.

[EllenAtHowards]

I vote for doing it just like Granny did! See, I am old enough to know these things...[creak]... anyway, they were starched with a heavy solution of sugar water. (You may want to use liquid starch, but this isn't as easy to find as it once was... [this younger generation...] Anyway, you soak the doily in whichever stiffening solution you choose, and then drape it while still wet over some sort of form to hold the upright ruffles in place until it dries. My recollection is that orange juice cans were popular [probably can't get those easily anymore either]. Soup cans would probably give a similar effect. You could also crumple paper cones and cover them with plastic wrap [THAT you can still get] and shape that way. No doubt some will express concern over insect infestation, but I can never recall any ants running to my granny's doilies, and they were sitting right out on the end table with a lamp on them. You really will have to come up with some stiffening solution, as they just won't look right any other way...

[Leslie S.]

Purple,
Yep, starch is what all my elder female relatives used, but they claimed that the box starch worked better than liquid. I can still get it at my local grocery store. Also, at craft stores they have a product called Stiffy, which I think is sprayed on. I have also heard that for archival purposes, you should not do either, like Ellen said, because it attracts insects...maybe Rebecca can tell us what the proper way to do this is. I've been dreading the day when somebody brought one of these in. The only other thing I could think of was to take a strip of mylar D and sew it to the back of the ruffle to make it stiff(kind of like the cardboard do-hicky in a new man's dress shirt), and then sew that down around the bottom edge in a ruffled fashion. Don't know if it would really work, though, just an idea. Please let me know what you end up doing, I know it's just a matter of time 'til some fiend brings me one. Good Luck!

Leslie

[Kit]

Purp, I'd worry about the starch or sugar water. There's the insect problem, both might loose their stiffness in high humidity, and starch can yellow eventually. I don't think the craft store fabric stiffener is removeable.

Now that I've rained on your parade, I'll suggest either Elmer's or Tacky glue thinned half and half with water as a stiffener. Both of them are water soluble and shouldn't have yellowing or wilting problems.

The best way would be to construct mylar croquet hoops, one of each scallop of the doily. I can see this increasing your usual doily mounting time by a factor of three or four. Charge accordingly.

Kit (hoping I NEVER see one of these in my shop)

[Rebecca]

Hi PP -

This is an interesting project! I know the strict conservation party line is not to starch or sugar water, but Ellen is right - for this to be historically correct it needs to be stiffened. And since Ellen and Leslie are familiar with the ways it actually was done, I'd follow their advice. Given a choice I'd go for the sugar or boxed starch (don't know what additives are in the liquid starch - maybe blueing and optical brighteners?).

Pros and Cons - Sugar will be easier to wash out but could, in high humidity, go sticky. Starch won't go sticky but sometimes requires enzymes to remove entirely - may have something to do with additives or processing procedures. Purer is better so read the label.

E and L - do you have proportions/preparation instructions for the sugar and/or boxed starch solutions?

Ah - just read Kit's post. I don't know about tacky glue, but the Elmer's glue I'm familiar with will not resolubilize with water after it dries. I would stick to the more traditional methods - they are reversible and contain known ingredients. Wilting and yellowing are not irreversible, and a sealed package should prevent wilting and slow yellowing considerably.

The Mylar hoops are a good idea - might help the doily keep its shape when its displayed vertically.

On a final note - if you do use sugar or starch, insects will be a concern. You really should seal the frame to prevent possible insect infestation. You can use Hugh's Marvelseal 360 system OR wrap the framing package in thin Mylar (foil taping seams) OR foil tape the inside glass/rabbet join, use Coroplast for the final backing board (filler) and seal the edge seams (is that the right word?) with foil tape.

I'd be interested to hear what Hugh and others opinions on this are.

Let us know what you decide and post a photo!

Rebecca

[PurplePerson]

At this point, I am thinking starch sounds the best. How about Corner Weld?

I would have to have it already dried to shape.

In baby blankets, I have rolled up mylar into tubes or cones, to give the appearance of a wrinkles in the blanket. This could give support to the doily ruffles. It would be more stable than mylar hoops.

I agree that sealing would be very important.

I look foreward to more solutions.

[CharlesL]

Purp,
Somehow, I seem to be vacillating between Warped and the 'serious' G this morning. Blame it on insomnia.

Why not consult Doily Parton?

[PurplePerson]

lol! Warped seems to fit me, huh?

[PurplePerson]

By the way, I have all the time I need to work on this doily, so I don't need to rush it through.

[CharlesL]

So...you can work on the doily daily, huh?

[Ron Eggers]

PP,

Don't be dilly-dallying on that doily!

[Rebecca]

I dillied, I dallied, I dallied and I dillied, I lost my way and don't know where I roam/
Oh you can't come a cropper with an old time copper, when you can't find your way home.

I bet most of you don't know the rest of those lyrics!

Back to the doily. One other thought for extra support - would that thread wrapped wire I'm sure I've seen in sewing supply stores help at all? I think that even with starching those high edges might need help to stop drooping if it's displayed "side ways" on a wall.

Rebecca

[CharlesL]

Lord, Rebecca, I DO love to 'hear' you 'talk'!!

[EllenAtHowards]

would that thread wrapped wire I'm sure I've seen in sewing supply stores help at all? I think that even with starching those high edges might need help to stop drooping if it's displayed "side ways" on a wall.
I would worry about inferior wire rusting through the thread... and let me tell,you, you starch those things right, and nothing short of a rainstorm is gonna bust 'em loose! A heavy starch or sugar and to tell you the truth, contrary to popular opinion, I am leaning to the sugar syrup solution[solution..get it? ]

[Rebecca]

I bow to your superior knowledge! (Although if it got damp enough to rust, surely the sugar would get sticky too?) What proportion sugar to (distilled) water? Or starch for that matter?

Rebecca

[Leslie S.]

Rebecca,
I once asked my grandmother how to starch the ruffled doily she had just given me. She looked at me like I was crazy, and said "Use the instructions on the box!" ( My granny did not suffer fools gladly. ;) ) SO:
On the box of Faultless brand starch, for hot starch it says:
1)Measure 2 qts. water into a pan. Heat to a rolling boil.
2)Stir 4 TBSP(for extra heavy starch) of starch into 1/2 cup cool water. Mix well.
3)Remove pan from heat.Stir creamed starch into boiling water at once. Stir a few seconds until solution is clear.
4)Cool starch for immediate use by adding 2 cups warm water for each quart of starch made.(!!!You could starch a doily the size of New York with this recipe!)

Now, I have lots of these doilies, because all of my elder female relatives were prolific crocheters/quilters/needleworkers. My mother was the youngest girl, and had the dubious honor of having to iron these boogers for the household. She shudders every time she sees one, but tommorrow I'll ask her if there is any special trick for "longevity".

[Kit]

Starch recipe:

run very hot water from the faucet

fill a quart bottle 3/4 full

add a handful of dry starch for pillowcase/ sheet weight; two handsful for stand-up doilies

[Leslie S.]

Kit,
My kind of recipe! Most of my food recipes are of a similar nature.

[Freda Framer]

We have used Mylar-D cones/tubes under the ruffles. Occasionally the weave has been open enough that the shiny surface of the Mylar would show through. In that case we have used tulle or a thin sheer fabric like "organdy" to cover the Mylar first. Time-consuming, yes, but a softer look in the long run. Hope this helps.
Freda

[Ron Eggers]

Boy, do I feel dumb! (Not for the first time - won't be the last.)

I've always just stitched doilies down flat - usually on suede or linen - and then matted or spaced them from the glass. Now you're telling me they're not supposed to be flat??? Should I issue a recall? Is the look you're after kind of a uniform "ruffled" appearance? How much relief/depth are we talking about? I wish I had a photo.

My grandma painted bird pictures and made strawberry shortcake. She didn't do doilies.

I have noticed that unstarched doilies take a gazillion stitches to support. (Usually, I'd rather frame a sports jersey. It's faster.)

[Rebecca]

Leslie and Kit -

Thanks so much for the starch recipes! OK Ellen, it's your turn for the sugar smile.gif

Rebecca

[PurplePerson]

Marie, our owner, asked me yesterday, when we were talking doily, how the crocheted, starched snow flakes she gave me 5 years ago for Christmas had held up and if they had bugs.

Thank heaven I had inspected one on Tuesday after not having noticed them for a couple years, and sure enough, no bugs, still stiff, good shape.

She said she had just used a box of starch she bought at the grocery store and used it as directed.

Sounds pretty good to me.

p.s. Always keep the bosses gifts around.

[EllenAtHowards]

I'm not sure of the exact proportions. I'd say, a cup of sugar to 3 or 4 of water. Heat until sugar is all dissolved. Actually, they might have boiled it to produce sugar syrup... [whine.. I dunno...but I will do research! I have some LOL customers, and I know just who to ask...] As to this being the way to present all doilies, relax... no recall is necessary. This was a special style of doily, very popular in the early 1950s-ish. When starched, it looked sort of like ribbon candy or an Elizabethan ruff. Very high ruffles. If you had one of these, I would venture to say that it would be darn near impossible to stitch flat, so you probably haven't had one in yet.

[Ron Eggers]

Thanks, Ellen.

I went to visit my parents yesterday and we talked about this. Turns out grandma DID make doilies. She also made tableclothes (which is where most of the doilies ended up) and there's one stashed away for me if I ever show any sign of growing up. It'll probably have to skip right past me and go right to The Diva.

At least I won't have to frame it. :eek: