The LACE Fairy - My New BFF

If you've followed my blog at all the last several months, you know that I've been so fortunate to find all sorts of wonderful laces and linens. Sometimes I purchase lace at thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales or antique stores. At bargain prices only, LOL. Other times, the lace seems to find me..... through friends or acquaintances.

Today, The Lace Fairy worked her magic again. I was at work early this morning, before the farm office opened, and my friend and co-worker Jennifer walked in and plopped a box of laces down in front of me and said. "Here you go. These are for you if you want them." One look and I nearly started crying. I was shaking, laughing, exclaiming. Then I jumped up and hugged and thanked her. Let me tell you, I owe her BIG TIME.

They went straight out to my car, and when I got home after lunch, I began sifting through them, with camera in hand. Will you join me in exploring the box contents???

These are the boxES (I know I said box, but they were nested...), and our HELPER, Boomer. My dear furkid Boomer is 14 this month, and is still curious when Mom brings home New Things to Investigate. (and isn't he cute??)

As I pulled things out of the box, I laid them out in a rough grouping and began snapping pictures. They are not artfully arranged, the background I used was too light (hey! it was a matelasse bedspread, $4 at the thrift store last month).... and they are REALLY DIRTY.

Polka dots!! On the left part is a really cute polka dot bow. It's gonna look cute on a retro-inspired apron..... Nice purse frame. Don't know if the purse part is worth saving yet....

After I took these pictures, I started soaking the lace. Tonight I've been rinsing, drying and ironing most of it. The worst of the bunch is still soaking. Surprisingly, they are coming out very nicely! I love using tiny doilies or crocheted circles on which to build silk ribbon or ribbon flower arrangements on my CQ's... Now, sit down. Especially you, Allie. I don't think I've ever seen so much rick rack lace at once in my life. Isn't this TO DIE FOR???
And it washed up beautifully! What am I going to do with it all? Teaser: read on....
That yukky looking gray-green mass above actually turned out (after washing) to be a nice soft medium green. It's quite nice!

While many of the laces are really old, some only date back to the 1960's. My friend Jennifer said some of them were sewn onto (and later removed) from her dresses as a young lady in the 1960's. And the following lump was in a large baggie. It is beautifully-embroidered floral motifs on a badly-disintegrated black netting.

But, Oh! The possibilities....

Some of them will definitely be appearing in my work. And they may be appearing in yours too..... (yes, that's another teaser, LOL)
It seems that someone else had the same Motif Preservation Idea that I did. But can you guess what they mounted this on? If you weren't sitting before, please do so now. This is mounted on construction paper (yes, the schoolkid acidic stuff) with glue. HORRORS!!! I. could. not. believe. it.
Of course, I wanted to perform an immediate RESCUE. But the corner I tried to peel off did not fare well when I tried to detach it from the paper it was glued to. Maybe I should try soaking it off? (don't know if it's colorfast). Any other ideas, my friends??

Above: crocheted beaded purse. It's beautiful!

Our Challenge theme for the month of July at CQI (Crazy Quilting International, a Yahoo Group) is WINGS. Look at the butterfly variety above; sequined, embroidered, lace.... all vintage. And below is some butterfly-stamped embroidery cloth (a dishtowel?)

Below in the box is the rest of the lace I didn't photograph, plus some embroidered linen pieces.

Another lace pansy motif, mounted this time on black silk. Plus some salvaged trim (and a couple motifs) from an old pillowcase.

Back to the future..... isn't this still the best way we transfer designs these days, LOL??? (below)

And the last piece, rather poorly (in my opinion) embroidered....

This post has certainly gone on long enough. So, wipe the drool off your keyboard and listen up. When I am fortunate to receive such bounty, I always share. Therefore, I think it's time for another drawing!!!

Let me get these all cleaned up and ironed and sorted. In the next day or two I'll announce a contest. I'll make up two separate prize packages of stuff from this post, and show them when I announce the rules, OK???

I'm off to bed, to dream about lace....

Hugs,