Featured UPDATING QUESTIONS ON JUST A COUPLE OF ANTIQUE HANKIES....FOR

@Northern Lights Lodge! Hi, I didn't realize my Fave WASN'T in the pile of the older posts, so here it is, with the close ups, but truthfully, IN the 'close-ups', I can't tell front from back!!! This is the Irish one with original note laying on it: The Second one is my second Fave!! Same question....hand made or machine made??? Thank you, EVER SO MUCH!!!! With ONE question to follow....I have about 10 sets of hand crocheted pillow cases....the pillow cases are BADLY stained with no hope of getting them white, but the crocheting is still beautiful.....is there any way to get/remove the crocheting from the pillow cases.....mind you I am totally NOT versed in doing this if even possible!!! AGAIN, thank you for your expertise!!!!

 

Hi again @Aquataine

SAW-wheeet! I love the one with the harps too! It looks to me like it is hand done! Late 1800's - "needle run" Limerick.

It seems to me - that the "heavier" outline threads are flatter on one side (more like a "running stitch" -which would be the back side of a chain stitch) and more pronounced (raised higher - a chain stitch) on the other. The "other" being the top side; and the flatter side being the back side. You also might be able to tell the front and back by looking at how the fabric is attached. The "cut edge" of the fabric is usually either rolled inside itself and stitched toward the back, or simply folded back and stitched on the back. It is rare that the "cut edges" would be on the top side.

The way the smaller threads are "looped" around loosely inside the leaves is not something that a machine could do easily; another reason I believe it to be hand worked.

You can check your other two possible hand done "needle run" pieces and see if they have similar stitches.

Also this piece does not have "mitered" corners again (cut and stitched). Although it is possible for hand made yardage to be cut and stitched into a miter ... hand made pieces are usually either made in clear segments and joined or made all in one piece, rather than cut. Of course, there are always exceptions.

Item #8 - which I "thought" to be machine by the photo, the stitches would probably look a bit different. Look under magnification to compare. This example has cut and joined mitered corners; another reason it may be machine.

The second handkerchief is most certainly hand done. Brussels Duchesse. Yes, 1880's Belgian. I believe your pics to be the back side. In the close up, I can see little "cut offs" on buds and curls and in the full size photo... it looks like there is a tiny fancy edge on the other side of the linen. A pretty little example!

As for removing the lace. Yes, possible. First you need to determine how the lace is attached. I think there are 3 ways I can think of:

1. Attached by machine - either zig zag or running stitch. Either is picky; but very possible to snip and pick off.
2. Attached by hand - usually a simple whip stitch which is easy enough to remove...still picky; but not difficult.
3. The crochet is "directly" attached to the fabric. In this case you would HAVE to actually cut the fabric and NOT cut any of the crochet threads. Once the lace with a tiny edge of fabric was cut away from the pillow case; the lace could be reapplied some how. But the reattachment would probably have to have some sort of a seam covering the cut edge of the fabric.

Look under magnification. If you can't identify which one it is; send me a close up and I should be able to determine which it is and indicate which threads to cut.

Hope that helps! I'm delighted to share info!
Thanks for sharing with US!

Cheerio Leslie

 

OH MY GOSH, THANK YOU for sharing SO much of your information!!!! You can see I still haven't had the nerve to do anything with the Hankies, and I know the nieces I don't think will do anything with the pillow cases so it's up to me to do SOMETHING!!!!

 

Hi @ Aquitaine,
It is truly my pleasure! No worries re: "doing" anything with the hankies. As long as they are stored "nicely" (acid free paper is nice/ but tissue is better than plastic)... in a cool dry place - they should be fine. Flat is great - tissue between is lovely. Sure, it is nice to have them freshly laundered or behind glass... but, it isn't easy to launder them unless you feel pretty confident about what you are doing. Laundering incorrectly is worse than not laundering at all, I think...

So, let's put on our thinking caps and come up with a great idea to repurpose those pillowcases!

Cheerio, Leslie