How do I wash and block old and/or dirty needlepoint?
Courtesy of Bidwell C. Drake You definitely can wash a canvas or needlepointed piece yourself. However, if it is a very old piece, very delicate, valuable, or damaged, send it to a professional textile conservationist to restore. Do not ever take needlepoint to a dry cleaner because dry cleaners use heavy-duty chemicals, too much heat, and flatten the stitching. Please note that these instructions are only for wool on cotton or linen canvas, and do not apply to silk or rayon threads. Cotton threads may wash nicely, but they should be tested for colorfastness first. If it is a commercial canvas the paint colors are very unlikely to bleed. If it was painted by a non-professional the colors may bleed. Instructions on how to deal with any kind of color bleeding are found below. Luckily, most old pieces were worked from charts, so there is no paint to bleed. Old canvases also are easier to block than new work. To wash it yourself you will need: – tape measure – clean yardstick – blocking bo
