How to ~ Cleaning Vintage Tapestry Tutorial

So I bought these vintage tapestry purses a while ago, and as you can see the larger one is quite yellowed compared to the makeup case.  I think that it’s just dust and dirt from being so old, so I wanted to try and clean it.

The biggest problem I faced when thinking about how to clean the purse is that I did not want it to get wet.   I was worried that if it gets wet the dyes will run and ruin the bag, so I needed to figure out some way to dry clean it as I do not think that any professional dry cleaners would do it ~ and even if they did, the chemicals might be too harsh for the threads.

Thankfully, there are other methods of cleaning available to me, so I tried one of these.  I borrowed a book called “Spotless” by Shannon Lush & Jennifer Fleming which has a lot of handy tips and hints for getting rid of stains using household products and not chemicals.

They even had a section specific for tapestry, and this is the advice they give for cleaning a tapestry piece.

“The best way to clean tapestry is with dry {flaked} bran.  Put a handful into a muslin cloth bag, heat it in the microwave for half a minute, then rub it over the tapestry.  The bran will absorb the dirt. 

You can also apply the bran directly.  Firstly, slightly moisten it with vinegar.  Add one drop at a time until it forms clumps like couscous, but not a ball.  Sprinkle this across the stain, rub backwards and forwards with a cloth or soft brush, then vacuum it off.”

I used the first method on my handbag:

Note:  I didn’t have any muslin cloth to put the bran into so I used a loose weave cleaning cloth.  Muslin is a very porous material so you just need anything with ‘holes’ in it.

Before:

After:

I do not think that you can really see the difference between the before and after photos, because although there was a slight difference to the colours of the tapestry I think that mostly the dust lifted from the fabric so it feels cleaner now.   It seems that the yellowing is not reversible, but I rather like the worn look of the bag.  It makes look loved!

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of “Spotless”  it’s available online through the ABC website and retails for $19.99 AUD. 

Link:  http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/product.asp?productid=162165

I hope you found this tutorial helpful.  ^ w ^

xox,

bonita

ONE DAY AND ONE SLEEP UNTIL MY SWEETIE IS HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  > U < *eeeeeeeeeee*

Panda Pants!

It’s so exciting ~ I finished my very first sewing project: The Panda Pants!!!!!!

It was quite easy actually.  I read the instructions and I had my Sewing Guru there to explain little tips and hints, such as how to stretch the material for ease when hemming the legs, how to press when the leg seams open once they have been sewn up, and how to sew the elastic waist band together without adding bulk {overlap and stitch along all four sides in a box shape}, etc.  She just made the process so much smoother and hassle free.  If I thought something was going wrong I could check with her and ask for advice.  Me being the worrier I am, it was a relief to have that.  Her help allowed me to relax and actually enjoy the process of creating a garment.

The pattern we used was Kwik Sew 3028.  I made the waist band wider and thus, the waist is lower than what the pattern called for.  I also added the two side pocket option and put a ribbon bow on the front so a). you could tell it was the front and b). to make it look awesome.  Bows rock.

Now for a plethora of pictures.  Excited much?    You should have seen me dancing!

Sewing the rest of the pants ~

                                

 

                        So close…

 

Hemming time.

                     

                      

 

ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNDD    Tada!

 

Left to Right  ~  Pocket view featuring Needle Mouse, the cuff hem and bow~tastic detail. 

Last but not least, the machine I sewed the pants on ~

                     

The workstation complete with cup of tea. 

I must say, I adore this machine.  The soft hum, the smoothness of stitch and the solid feel of the cool metal ~ it gives me confidence that I can actually use it.  It’s a Bernina 830 {the old school one} and I want.  When I am ready to purchase my first machine I am going to try and find one of these.   It is easy to work with, and it won’t fall apart {if it’s been well looked after that is}.   Plus, the added advantage is that my Sewing Guru owns one, so if I have any questions I can ask her about it.    : ) 

xox,

b.

Spotlight ho!

Fabric shopping - *wheee*!  I’ve been hanging out to start my sewing project; I sorted out what pattern I want to use and I was only needing to buy the fabric and trim.  Of course that required an expedition to the largest {?} fabric/craft supplies store just outside of Canberra.    So when I say expedition, it really was!  My awesome and lovely sister~in~law kindly consented to be my sewing guru, and guide me in the mysterious ways of all things sewing.

We arrived at Spotlight just after 2:oopm, and didn’t leave until 5:3opm ~ when the store shut! So {or sew… Haha, lame pun intended.} my haul ended up being rather large to say the least.  I won’t list everything ~ but I got photos! 

     

The material ~ I bought 10 meters {yes, 10 meters!} of the ivory jacquard because it was $2.00 a meter!  That’s insanely cheap for a nice heavy cotton.  I plan to make a dress, jacket and skirt out of the stuff if I have enough. {The jacquard’s the roll at the back.}  The grey wool was the most expensive at $29.99 a meter {Ouch!!} but I wanted a nice warm skirt for winter, and with my guru guiding me through the sewing process I am hoping it will turn out nicely {even though this is my first project!!  *meep*} and then it will be worth it.

The floral sateen was another sale yardage ~ $2.00 a meter, so I bought three meters.  I plan to make a fully reversible knee-length dirndl skirt out of that one.  The nautical print muslin was a bit of a surprise to me.  One, it’s the middle of winter in Australia so buying muslin is more than a bit silly, I’m not going to be able to sew it  for a while either, so it won’t be ready for summer…  Two, it’s a nautical print.  I must confess I have long professed a dislike to the ‘sailor’ style.  It looks great on some people, and I’ve often thought that a sailor romper is pretty darn cute.  But it’s just not my style.  I never wear much blue, and I dislike pretty much ALL of the modern RTW nautical styled stuff you find in the shops.   It’s yuck.

So when I spotted this I was all, “Oh, this is cute, but I’d never use it.”  Then, the fabric spoke to me.  O.O   Oh yes it did.  It went ~ “You know that I’d make the cutest shirt dress for wearing to the beach and around the house in summer right?  A little something casual and fun to slip on!”  and I went ~ “Ah!  So true!!  Must. Have. Cute. Octopi. Dress!!!!”  And that was it.  I was done like dinner.  ><   So now I have a totally awesome muslin print to make up. I even have the pattern for it!  I bought it off Etsy last night {much to DH’s dismay as I rake up more damage on the card…  : S }.

Lastly, the panda print is a flannel, and as I never wear pyjama's to bed {just to clarify I usually wear an old t-shirt}, but love to lounge around the house in pjs I’m going to make a pair of pants from this so I can stop stealing DH’s camo. pants.

   

I also bought some fantastic vintage styled buttons for the peter~pan type collars I want to crochet.  I’ve been on the look out for really-truly vintage buttons, but haven’t found any so far.  *sad face*  : (   But these are lovely, and I think that they will look great.

The other fabric is for waist band and collar details on distant dresses that I have ideas for {another pattern coming for that one too ~ what? You think that I could restrain myself and only buy one pattern on Etsy when the store was having a 15% discount?}

The mushroom print however, will line the pockets of my grey wool skirt.  Because I am like that.  I like my clothes to look chic and elegant {for the most part ~ I do have some cutesy jewellery and things} but the idea of having fun prints to line my pockets is too much to resist.  It’s going to be awesome!

    

I’m doing up a variation on view 2 ~ which is the view to the far right, and my modifications will probably make it look so far removed from the original, as you can probably see from the sketch.  I’ve taken elements from each pattern variation and combined it into one.  It’s going to be knee length as well.  I already have one wrap skirt that is mid-calf length, so I don’t need another. :3  This is going to be soooo much fun!  I will keep you posted.

xox,

b.