dirty thread [?]

[Sandy Jo]

I do hope this is the right spot to be asking...

A while ago I was lucky enough to find a "treaure box" at a tag sale.

It was just full of all sorts of needlework items...it looked as if someone had cleared out some drawers and just dumped them all in the box, what a jumble! but the price was right [low ] and I could see quite a lot of good things...later when getting towards the bottem, found 13 hanks, plus several balls of Daisy brand size #30 ecru thread! I was ready to do a tap dance! then I noticed they all are either very dirty on the ends, or possibly just discoloered from age? Now I do not know what to do?

 

Should I work it as is it and hope it cleans up afterwards? if not that, how could it be cleaned before using? Any thoughts/suggestions would be a great help!

 

thanks,

Sandy Jo

 

:hook"Yoga does not keep hooks flexible"

[Moonstruck]

I would crochet something small with some of the dirtier parts, then wash it & see if it comes clean. If so, I would use it in the hopes that all of it will wash well.

[smokeyp81]

If you don't want to attemp to clean it....try tea dying it. Here is a page that describes the process.

[RoseRed]

I would crochet something small with some of the dirtier parts, then wash it & see if it comes clean. If so, I would use it in the hopes that all of it will wash well.

 

I like that idea!

[Sandy Jo]

I do thank-you for all the great suggestions!

I will try the small article to see if it will wash

up properly. If that fails, I will try the tea-dye,

but since it is already a rather dark color

I am not sure if even that would cover it.

If all else fails I may just use it and think of it

as being 'naturally varigated' maybe it would

do as a lovely pineapple and roses patterned doily.

 

take care,

sandy Jo

[dianejerry]

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[GEMINI4659]

I have taken a full ball and dipped it in a mild dish soap soak,rinsed it the shaken it to get most of the water out , and left it to dry,,,,,,,,,,, worked out great when I crocheted with it later

[Sandy Jo]

:rofl:rofl:rofl Your subject title drew me right in. Now what was the question?

 

I did not think of the word 'thread' having a ny different meaning when I wrote that as the title for my question - just that it is thread, as opposed to yarn, and it is, hopefully, only dirty, and not stained. First thing I must do is to get them all rolled up, I guess I am more than a bit spoiled with having most everything now made with the handy pull out skeins/spools. I have thought of using my wooden bow-maker as an extra pair of hands for this step maybe it will work out well enough.

 

Gemini, Thanks, I will give that a try to!

[dianejerry]

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[sprout]

the tea dyeing idea will work, i've brought thread at several times at garge sales and it has often been "stained" , i just work the project i want and then teastain it and they come out wonderful everytime.

[Sandy Jo]

the tea dyeing idea will work, i've brought thread at several times at garge sales and it has often been "stained" , i just work the project i want and then teastain it and they come out wonderful everytime.

 

Thanks sprout, that is a relief to hear, just in case!

Perhaps I will make up a small coaster and try the coffee-dye,

maybe it wil not give me away if I spill alittle coffee!

[melmac51]

If it's only in certain spots, maybe you could crochet a separate applique, and then attach it to the spot to hide it.

[mamarose22]

It is possible that only the top layer is dirty from being exposed. Try unrolling some of the thread to get to off some of the top layer(s) of thread and see what it looks like underneath.