A Disappointment

New Zealand Listener, Volume 18, Issue 461, 23 April 1948, Page 23

A Disappointment

Dear Aunt Daisy, I possess two hand crocheted curtains which we use for French windows. They have long tassels and knobs crocheted over white cotton-wool. After washing them with soap powder I noticed the knobs went a brownish colour when dry. I am very upset as I value these curtains very much. Can you please |

help me to remove these stains? Wash. ing them again made no difference. No other parts of the curtains have discoloured. Their natural colour is light ecru. I would also appreciate it if you can advise me how to get the shine back | on a pressure cooker, which was left soaking in soapy water by mistake. "Taupo." Z am afraid nothing can be done with the tassels. It is the cotton wool padding which stains, just as the pretty white,satin eiderdowns on babies’ prams, or cots, often get brown stains when they are washed. They are stuffed with cotton wool or wadding instead of down, The only thing for them is to be recovered. I’m afraid your tassels will just have to be cut off unless you can crochet over them with matching cotton, Could you dye the curtains, tassels and all? There are good English aniline dyes available at 1/6 a packet. You could blend two colours to get a beige shade, perhaps cream with a little brown. To test the shade try something else (cotton) in the dye-bath before putting in the curtains. For the Pressure Cooker, I expect it really wants "buffing" by a professional aluminium firm. But I’ve heard of people getting a wonderful shine on tarnished silver with one of the preparations for cleaning windows and all glass without water, so perhaps it would do for the saucepan. I can give you the name of the preparation if you send a stamped and addressed envelope. Try polishing up the saucepan with this, _ and then giving a brisk final rub with cornflour.