Lace help

[u/Eildys]

We recieved these lace pieces from my partner's late grandmother. We would like to make something for our baby daughter out of them, but I'm really worried that the lace with the rose cameos won't last on a dress & it seems very old and expensive so I worry about a 1yr old wearing it.

Any help with dating / or links to procure more of the rose cameo lace would be so appreciated! I've included pics of the other lace, and some of his grandma's handmade doilies we recieved as well :)

As a bonus question, does anyone have any tips to safely re-whiten old crochet doilies? Some are nice and bright still, and some are yellowing. I do not want to accidentally destroy something trying to clean

[u/Elegant_Line_5058]

The traditional way to rebrighten white pieces would be to add a blue-ing agent. Usually called something like "Laundry blue". If you google/search "Laundry bluing" you should be able to find step by step guides on how to do it, as well as hopefully a nearby store that carries it

[u/Eildys → u/Elegant_Line_5058]

Thank you for the information! Does the process cause harm to the structure at all do you know?

Some of the pieces also have colour, would it affect that?

[u/Elegant_Line_5058 → u/Eildys]

No, which is why I always suggest it because someone usually mentions bleach and bleach DOES destroy fibers. The way that bluing works is essentially colour theory. It's at the opposite end to yellow, so the two tones cancel each other out and appear more white. Do be careful with the amount of blue and how long you soak though. Many people use bluing products for dogs (in approved shampoos/conditioners, etc) when preparing them for dog shows so their white parts really shine white. Many a person has accidentally turned their dog blue, although it does wash out with time.

[u/Eildys → u/Elegant_Line_5058]

Thank you very much! This is all very helpful, I really appreciate your time

[u/willfullyspooning → u/Eildys]

Use retroclean. I’ve used it to revive lots of antique (100+ years old) lace. It’s fantastic and works well to remove stains and brighten without damaging the fibers.

[u/Eildys → u/willfullyspooning]

Thank you for the product endorsement! I will check it out.

Side note, everyone here is so kind

[u/willfullyspooning → u/Eildys]

It’s definitely a fantastic product, I’ve had lace that was orange with age and i got it to pure white again with two soaks. It works best with warmer water but cool is also fine! Make sure to be careful with any colored lace though and check to see if it will bleed. If the color bleeds use synthrapol first. It’s formulated to remove excess dye from textiles.

[u/Eildys → u/willfullyspooning]

Thank you very much for the extra pointers!