Help~I Need Some Tips

I just received a package in the mail. Linen I bought on Ebay. They were not new, I knew this, however, they smell like cigarette smoke. And I don't mean just a little like smoke, it smells like the postman blew smoke all over them 20 minutes ago. All I can say is YUCK!!!!

How can I get the smell out? Hand wash? Should I surge the edges first? Does anyone have any ideas about what type of soap to use? Any tips would be helpful. Most of the pieces are nice and they are quite large. I would hate to get rid of them. I don't want the hassle of sending them back to the seller. I didn't spend that much.

Thanks,
Hillery

Help With a Question

Now I have been stitching for almost 20 years now, but now that I have entered blogland and have met and seen such wonderful stitchers, I would not consider myself an experience stitcher. I have been stitching the same way since I was 15, and I am just learning now, new techniques and about finishing's. I am experimenting now with different fabrics and fibers and I feel like a novice.

My question is..... if you are stitching on a 28 count linen or cotton evenweave fabric, would you use 2 plys of floss or 3 plys? I have always used 2 plys, but I sometimes don't like the coverage. I'm worried that 3 plys would make it a little harder to get nice even stitches (although, mine aren't always that even). Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Right now I am working on Little House Needleworks Ornament of the Month, "Red House in Winter" and with all the dark colors and the light linen, I am not happy with the coverage of my 2 plys of floss. I have way to much finished to frog it out, so I am continuing and hoping I will like the finished product. Pictures later.
Happy Stitching,
Hillery