"Creative Hands" newsletter for May 2002

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QUICK TIPS: CARING FOR TEXTILES AND LINENS

Hand crafted textile items of today may very well be treasured
collectibles of tomorrow so handle them with care. When
purchasing a hand crafted textile piece always ask the artist or
crafter for specific care instructions. The majority of fine
fabrics produced today can handle the rigors of machine washing
and drying. It is always wise to take precautions when
laundering fine linens. With proper care, your textile piece
should last and retain its beauty. Here are a few suggestions:


With textile wall art, remove dust periodically by gently
shaking the piece and brush lightly with a very soft bristle
brush. Avoid displaying in direct sunlight.

Pillows and other items made from vintage linens should be
washed with a phosphate-free detergent. Some linen
preservationists recommend washing fine linens in distilled
water because minerals in tap water can cause rust stains.

Air-dry all fine linens outdoors to preserve the fabric. Most
of today's fabrics do well in the dryer, set on 'no heat air
fluff'.

Do not use starch when storing your linens. Starch attracts
insects. Store your linens in an area that is cool and dark. If
items are to be stored for a long period of time, store them
flat or rolled with pieces of acid free tissue paper between the
layers.

To whiten linens the old-fashioned way, lay them on a clean
white sheet and place outside in the sun for a few hours. To
remove a stain, make a paste of baking soda and water and rub
gently into the stain, leave the linen out in the sun until the
stain is gone. Some people believe laying them directly on the
dew-covered grass in the early morning hours aids in the removal
of stains.
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SHOW SAMPLER: FINE ARTS AND FINE CRAFTS SHOWS

5/31-6/02 Country Folk Arts
Southern Colorado Expo
Colorado Springs, CO

5/31-6/2 Piccolo Spoleto Crafts
Wragg Square
Charleston, SC

6/1-6/2 Occoquan Spring Arts and Crafts Show
Downtown, Historic District
Occoquan, VA

6/1-6/2 Frederick Festival of the Arts
Caroll Creek Linear Park
Frederick, MD

6/1-6/2 Union Street Art Festival
Union Street
San Francisco, CA

6/1-6/2 Lenoir City Arts and Crafts Festival
Lenoir City Park
Lenoir City, TN

6/6-6/9 Columbus Arts Festival
Downtown on Riverfront
Columbus, OH

6/8-6/9 Old Town Art Fair
Old Town Historic District
Chicago, IL

6/13-6/16 Boardwalk Art Show
Boardwalk
Virginia Beach, VA

6/14-6/16 Huck Finn Jubilee
Mojave Narrows Park
Victorville, CA

6/15-6/16 Aberdeen Arts in the Park
Melgaard Park
Aberdeen, SD

6/15/02-6/16 Stone Mountain Village Arts and Crafts Festival
Stone Mountain Village Green
Stone Mountain, GA

6/15-6/16 Niagara Falls Premier Craft Show
Optimist Park, Morrison St. and Dorchester Rd.
Niagara Falls, ON, Canada

6/22-6/23 Highland Park Festival of Fine Craft
Highland Park - City Center
Highland Park, IL

6/28-6/30 Fleet Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival
Columbus Circle
Downtown Syracuse, NY

More information on the above listed shows, as well as shows in your area, may be found on the Internet.

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ABOUT RUBY LANE

We are one of the largest Internet sites for collectors, with an
active community of hundreds of shops from all over the world
offering antiques, fine art, arts & crafts, and collectibles.
Ruby Lane displays quality inventory in over 2,000 categories.
Visit us at www.rubylane.com

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