Preserving A Vintage Design

I am always on the search for beautiful designs to embroider.I have found it to be difficult to find lovely and intricate designs. Some of the best embroidery designs can be found on vintage linens. If the linen has been completely stitched, the design can still be traced over with little difficulty.

This table cloth is perfect for preserving the design. It has been only partially stitched, with much of the design still waiting to be embroidered. I fell in love with this whole piece and removed the previous stitching to do my own hand embroidery on it instead. This design is so lovely and can be used for many different linens in many different ways if I trace the design and store it away for later use.
To preserve a design that you like, purchase a tablet of tracing paper. This can be found in most stores.

Prepare your design by laying it flat and on a good surface.

Pin the paper over the design, making sure it is smooth and evenly in place.

I use an ordinary ink pen that has a good sharp writing point.

Carefully and gently trace the design onto the paper. If the design is large as in this tablecloth, trace the design in sections, labeling each page to keep the design in order. Store your traced design in large yellow envelopes and label what design is inside. Someday, you might need a pretty design to stitch and you will have some of the loveliest at hand!

As you can see, it is so well worth the effort to save these vintage designs. New linens can be embroidered and still have vintage charm!