The Framers Forum

My client brought an embroidery in which is full of (new) mould. She bought it in Vietnam, it's embroidered with cotton using long loose stitches and is quite thick in places. The mould has only been there a month or so - I have dried the cloth and brushed off what I can. I now want to sprinkle anti fungal powder on the back, dry, shake and wash. Should I dissolve borax in the washing water? I know my embroidery ladies use woolite to wash their embroideries .... advice anyone ? I have heard vinegar kills mould but will it damage the fabric or colour ?

Thanks
Sue
Frame by Frame Knysna South Africa

If the fabric has heavy stains from the mold, normal home remedies will not remove them.

The ph of Woolite is incorrect for most fabrics. If you want to use anything, use a basic dish washing liquid without any special additives.

I don't think this a job for a picture framer, unless you have been trained and have experience

The staining left by mould growth is extremely persistant, some textiles and embriodery mediums are more resistant to mould staining than others, but usually what can be done will be determined by the value of the embroidery and the degree of damage.

Textile conservation is an extraordinary skilled area of expertese and is extremely labour intensive, unless this embroidery is vauable enough to justify what can often be an eye watering level of expense, this may become a question of salvage, rather than restoration to it's original pristine condition.

What sort of embriodery is it, how valuable is it and can we see some photos of the embroidery from both sides?

There are a lot of issues to consider with this, a particular issue of concern being whether the mould has weakened the support fabric and what will happen over time if the embroidery is stretched for framing.

I am not a textile conservator, but I have experience as a paper conservator and although this does not equip me to even consider getting involved with genuine textile conservation, I have some understanding of the issues involved and when we know the type of embroidery, it value and we can see the photos, it will be easier to suggest how to discuss the options with your customer.

If as I suspect, that this is a holiday momento of limited value and the embroidery may not justifiy the cost of professional restoration, then we can discuss some options for you and your customer to consider.

I have carried out non-conservation level salvage type proceedures on damaged embroideries before, in situations where the customer has asked me to do what I can. In such a case there are limits to what can be done, but it may be better than nothing if the customer still wants to salvage and frame the embroidery within practical and affordable limits.

While this it does not amount to more than making the best of an otherwise no win situation, it will extend the life of an item which the customer may still want to be framed. This may include consolidating the original support fabric and attaching an extra support to the original support fabric, to prevent further failure of the fabric and the rest is down to what can be done to mitigate the visual appearance of the damaged embroidery.

Shew thank you everyone. This is a holiday keepsake not hugely valuable. The mould is also very new so I am wishing that a quick wash - as you say not using woolite - may work. Any other suggestions? I don't think the item merits conservation method and costs, but as the item came from Vietnam she cannot go out and replace it.

It's usually the case that the cheaper the item, the more work and therefore the more expense needed to frame it. It's like a cheap print done using inferior paper and dodgy inks. To keep it in good nick you need top quality materials and techniques and museum glass to stop (slow down) fading.

In this case, washing is about the best option. Maybe a dip in some fungicide treatment. (Worked on my ceiling. ). If the thing self-destructs, well that's life.