Caring for Embroidery Pieces

You love your embroidered treasures- table linens, cloth napkins, a stitched pillow cover…. but when they start to look like they need to be freshened up, you don’t know where to begin. Stitches can be very delicate and easily snagged on other things, and you can’t just throw them in the washing machine. How do you take care of embroidered items, both new and old?

We have a step by step that will show you exactly how to take care of all your embroidered treasures! Read on for all the info.

Step 1: Assess & Treat Spots

Take a good look at the item- if there are any obvious marks, pretreat the spots with a Eucalan wipe, or add some undiluted Eucalan directly to the marks. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Step 2: Washing

Fill your sink, bucket, or large bowl with cool water and add one capful or one pod of Eucalan in the scent of your choice. Add as many items as will comfortably fit, and let soak for about ten minutes, lightly agitating the water. If they have some stubborn spots that have not been set with an iron already, let soak for an hour. If the fabric can handle it, gently scrub with a cloth or a soft bristled toothbrush. **Only the fabric portion, never the actual embroidery threads!**

Then remove from the water (no need to rinse with our no-rinse formula!) and gently squeeze out extra moisture. Roll the items in a towel one at a time, and then lay flat to dry away from heat or light (which  could cause shrinking or discolouration).

Step 3: Assessment- the Sequel

Take a good look at the items once they are dry. If there are still any spots, repeat the washing and pre-treating process (steps 1 and 2).

Step 4: Ironing

Once you feel that they are looking their best, iron them. Make sure the surface of your iron is clean, and use a spray bottle to spray the fabric surface to ensure a smooth finish. Adjust heat settings as necessary for moving between cotton, linen, and synthetic. Be extra careful with lace sections and embroidery. If your piece has any applique, use a light heat setting, in case the applique is made from polyester or other man-made fabrics. We recommend using a white pressing cloth to protect delicate fibres.

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Caring for Cloth Diapers

So many young families are cloth diapering their babies, and the benefits are clear- less waste and reduced costs – especially if cloth diapering another baby when the older child has outgrown them!

The tricky part of washing cloth diapers is using something that helps get the diapers clean, but is gentle enough for baby’s delicate skin, especially in such tender areas. Eucalan is gentle enough to wash all of your baby’s items – clothes, soft toys, and blankets. So it is a natural fit to wash your baby’s cloth diapers and inserts with Eucalan, too!

There are many different types of cloth diapers available, so these are general care guidelines. Experiment with what works best for you and your diapers.

Hand Wash/Sink Method (best for four or fewer diapers)

For hand washing, give a quick rinse to the diapers in the sink, then add one capful (or one pod) of Eucalan in the scent of your choice to the water. Submerge the dipaers and inserts, and let soak for ten minutes.  We recommend Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Lavender or Wrapture (scented with jasmine) for their naturally-occurring antibacterial benefits, as they are made with pure essential oils. Gently agitate the water, and then drain the water. Wring out the inserts, and roll diaper covers in a towel to absorb excess water.

Washing Machine Method  (best for 5 diapers/inserts or more)

Set your washing machine to cold , and put in the dipaers and inserts. We recommend running a quick rinse cycle at the beginning of washing diapers. Then add one pod or a capful of Eucalan in the scent of your choice to the washing machine.  Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Lavender or Wrapture (scented with jasmine essential oil) have naturally-occurring antibacterial benefits, and are a great choice. Run your washing machine as you normally would.

Drying

Typically we recommend you hang your delicates away from sunlight to prevent fading, but if you don’t mind the sun doing a little natural lightening on your colourful cloth diapers, feel free to hang them outside in the sunlight, or tumble dry in the dryer if your cloth diaper care instructions are fine with that too- we know sometimes you need those cloth diapers in a hurry!

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Wet Blocking Crocheted Lace: Morgana Shawl Tips

In our last blog post, we shared the stunning FREE crochet pattern from Kristin Omdahl for the Morgana Crocheted Shawl. If you haven’t picked up your free copy of the pattern yet, you can do so by signing up for our newsletter right here. The pattern will be emailed to you right away!

Kristin has put together a video that shows exactly how to wet block and finish crocheted lace, which is helpful to any crocheter, regardless of whether you are making the Morgana shawl or not.  It features Eucalan Wrapture, the jasmine-scented delicate wash we developed with Kristin herself! Check out her amazing video right here:

If you are unsure about your crochet skills, the stitches, or wet blocking crocheted lace, Kristin has a whole series of really helpful videos to walk you through every step of the Morgana Shawl.

Happy Crocheting!

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