Arsenic & Old Lace

A few months ago a coworker handed me a beautiful lace tablecloth. Not the itchy pretty lace (English?) but more of a crocheted lace. As I clapped my hands in excitement I thought "oooooh what could I make out of this??!!” Then she proceeded to tell me about how it was her mother's and she has a hard time getting rid of things her mother had given her (her mother is deceased). She explained that it was stained and assured me I could do what I wanted with it, she just didn’t want to throw it away.


When I look at old stained tablecloths, my mind spins in circles with a hundred questions. How did those stains get there? Whose was it and how did it happen? What were they doing (and could I have that dress?). What were they talking about? What was going on in their lives and what was the conversation like when this stain happened or that.

“Nobody knew who they were or what were they doing” (ok that will be my one & only Spinal Tap reference for this post).

I put the lace tablecloth in a safe place and have been thinking for months as to what to do with it. Should I try to wash the stains out and add it to the drawer full of table linens that I don’t use? Or should I cut it up and make something completely adorable. I do need an all purpose petticoat/slip. A little lace tablecloth inspiration (still don’t have my new sewing machine):