fabric stiffener question

[Lacycrochet]

1 minute ago, NCcountrygal said:

Wow, that's expensive.  😲

Yup, just like everything else here.

[Lacycrochet]

So I followed the epsom salt/water50/50 solution that someone posted here.  I do not recommend it. It stiffened it so much that it wouldn't allow the fibers to relax when I blocked it.  I even tried to flatten it down while it was drying.  You can see by the picture how bumpy it turned out.  I am going to re-wash and use spray starch.  It also dried blotchy and actually looks dirty in some areas.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Lacycrochet

[Granny Square]

Well that stinks, I hope the 'dirty look' washes out.

I wonder if that and/or the corn starch solution also mentioned need more than just mixing, like the sugar solution needs boiling for example.  

 

[NCcountrygal]

Thanks for the update.  Think it would work better for snowflakes?  I'll get around to it at some point. 

[Lacycrochet]

1 hour ago, Granny Square said:

Well that stinks, I hope the 'dirty look' washes out.

I wonder if that and/or the corn starch solution also mentioned need more than just mixing, like the sugar solution needs boiling for example.  

 

I don't know but I am afraid to try it again.  I am just hoping that this dirty look washes out and I haven't destroyed the doily.

[Lacycrochet]

53 minutes ago, NCcountrygal said:

Thanks for the update.  Think it would work better for snowflakes?  I'll get around to it at some point. 

I am not sure, it is stiff enough for sure but I would be afraid to try it on something white considering it made ecru look dirty.

[ReniC]

I only use good spray starch on doilies, pin to block or iron certain ones and white glue +water on ornaments and snowflakes.

[Lacycrochet]

2 minutes ago, ReniC said:

I only use good spray starch on doilies, pin to block or iron certain ones and white glue +water on ornaments and snowflakes.

I do usually as well but thought I would try this method.  Massive fail.  Spray starch is hard to find here and expensive so I thought I would look for a home made recipe.  Learnt my lesson.

[Granny Square]

It might be interesting to do an experiment, make a few simple small swatches 'for science'.  Probably mostly floppy chain loop rounds to help see how well they keep their shape.

I've only used a couple of stiffeners besides spray starch + water which I use for doilies; I don't want them stiff, I just want them to keep their shape.  Example the last doily I made is sitting on my desk, I just waived it around holding the edge, like a damsel might wave her handkerchief (so it was flopping and bending all around), and plopped it back on my desk and it fell right into place, it just needed a little pat in 1 spot at the edge. 

I know 50/50 white glue + water works for snowflakes, and is way too stiff for a doily (in my opinion), but maybe something like 25% glue and 75% water would work for a doily for example.

And maybe the same with the sugar solution, which is 50/50 for super stiff, maybe boiling a percentage split like the above might work.  

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Granny Square

[greyhoundgrandma]

16 hours ago, Lacycrochet said:

I do usually as well but thought I would try this method.  Massive fail.  Spray starch is hard to find here and expensive so I thought I would look for a home made recipe.  Learnt my lesson.

I don't iron or use spray starch much but my friend who does has complained several times about spray starch being hard to find.

[Lacycrochet]

6 minutes ago, greyhoundgrandma said:

I don't iron or use spray starch much but my friend who does has complained several times about spray starch being hard to find.

So it isn't just a Canadian thing that it is hard to find.  Michaels craft store here in Canada doesn't even carry it.

[NCcountrygal]

Interesting article related to using cornstarch. https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-make-spray-starch-4155709

[ReniC]

Many years ago, I tried the sugar water formula to starch a small doily. I pinned it out and left it to dry. When I checked on it the next day, it was covered solid with ants- Ewwww. Needless to say, I haven't used that formula since or any other homemade food product formula for crochet work.

[Lacycrochet]

2 hours ago, ReniC said:

Many years ago, I tried the sugar water formula to starch a small doily. I pinned it out and left it to dry. When I checked on it the next day, it was covered solid with ants- Ewwww. Needless to say, I haven't used that formula since or any other homemade food product formula for crochet work.

That would turn me off also.  I have enough problems with ants without providing a food source to encourage the little pests.

[NCcountrygal]

After reading the article I posted earlier and it mentioned formaldehyde being in some sprays.  Raised my curiosity about Niagra spray starch.  I've used that in the past.  😲

copy paste (Niagra website

Niagra Heavy Spray starch
Faultless
Ingredients:   Water
Hydroxyethyl Starch
Butane
Dimethicone
Methylparaben
Propane
Propylparaben
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Fragrance
Safe Use:Use only as directed in a well ventilated area
Do not take internally and avoid breathing vapors
Do not puncture or incinerate
Do not expose to temperatures above 120 degrees
Keep out of reach of children

Original
Water
Butane
Hydroxyethyl Starch
Dimethicone
Hexahydro-1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine
Isobutane
Peg-4
Propane
Sodium Benzoate
Fragrance
Safety:  Use only as directed in a well ventilated area
Do not take internally and avoid breathing vapors

I ordered some glass amber spray bottles and plan on using a home formula on the doilies.  Cornstarch, water and vinegar.  Will lightly spray the backside of the doilies and block.

[Lacycrochet]

7 hours ago, NCcountrygal said:

After reading the article I posted earlier and it mentioned formaldehyde being in some sprays.  Raised my curiosity about Niagra spray starch.  I've used that in the past.  

I ordered some glass amber spray bottles and plan on using a home formula on the doilies.  Cornstarch, water and vinegar.  Will lightly spray the backside of the doilies and block.

What's a few dozen chemicals you can't pronounce. lol.  Scary stuff, don't blame you for trying to make home made.  Let me know how your recipe turns out, I might give it a go.

[ReniC]

I came across these recipes for homemade spray starch. #3 made me chuckle! If you nip on the vodka, who cares if it works!  

[Lacycrochet]

14 hours ago, ReniC said:

I came across these recipes for homemade spray starch. #3 made me chuckle! If you nip on the vodka, who cares if it works!  

I think I am going to try the vodka on that doily that failed with the epsom salt blend.  I will give it a try and if it doesn't work then I will do as suggested and drink the rest of the vodka. lol

Thanks for sharing these recipes. 

Edited January 23, 2023 by Lacycrochet

[NCcountrygal]

I saw a vodka recipe when I did my search and I may give that a try some time in the future. I like that cleaning uses were mentioned as I don’t think I care to nip on it  lol

[NCcountrygal]

I made the heated cornstarch with distilled water. Tbsp cornstarch and 2 c h2o. Added tsp vinegar after it cooled a bit and 10 drops lavender essential oil. Pinned the doily upside down and sprayed liberally. The final solution amount after a 5 minute boil evaporated 2oz H2O. I added some to the sprayer. 
Doily isn’t fully dry, I flipped it over after unpinning. I like the slight stiffness in the fabric. I need to buy some new nonrust t pins. As I saw rust in a lot of the picots.  Fortunately not visible from the right side. 
 

[NCcountrygal]

Overall I’m pleased. If I were going to just store the doily and not display I would skip the starching and just use my routine water spray and pin. 

[Lacycrochet]

So just another note on that Epsom salt/water 50/50 stiffener recipe.  As we know it was a fail so I washed it.  Well, it also took the colour out of that doily so I threw it out.  I didn't think it would be possible to discolour ecru to such an ugly shade of tan but it did.  So folks, run very far from that recipe. NCcountrygal has a successful recipe for home made starch that she is happy with so I personally will be trying that next.

[Granny Square]

Distilled water (with the cornstarch stiffener), I never would have thought of that but we have hard water so it makes a ton of sense.  

Lacycrochet, sorry your experiment was such a disaster, and worse couldn't even be recovered, but thank you for being the brave 'explorer' and sacrificing your doily for science and letting us know so we don't make the same mistake.

[NCcountrygal]

2 hours ago, Lacycrochet said:

So just another note on that Epsom salt/water 50/50 stiffener recipe.  As we know it was a fail so I washed it.  Well, it also took the colour out of that doily so I threw it out.  I didn't think it would be possible to discolour ecru to such an ugly shade of tan but it did.  So folks, run very far from that recipe. NCcountrygal has a successful recipe for home made starch that she is happy with so I personally will be trying that next.

I'll add.  After fully drying it is stiffer than yesterday.  Not a problem on the table but if I needed some drape like over a table it wouldn't work.  I recommend trying 1/2 tbsp in 2 cups water. Which I will try next time I mix.  I have some other items I can use the current formula on once my new t-pins arrive.  Also, best used on white cotton per article, but not noticed on my mauve.  The Vodka article mentioned good for dark colors.

[Granny Square]

I've heard that wardrobe managers for stage productions spray costumes with vodka between performances to keep them fresh, so hopefully that means that vodka shouldn't stain or bleach colors.   Here is an article that sounds encouraging on that front.