Shirley Gibson

[Shirley Gibson]

I have stiffened some white crocheted angels by adding Elmers glue to water and then dipping them in it.  It worked good but I was disappointed that they yellowed within a year.  I have soaked them in the washer with OxyClean and they are white again.   What can be used on white cotton crochet thread that will not yellow with age.  

[bgs]

I have used Elmers  for years to stiffen thread ornaments and never have seen any yellowing on them.

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the ville!  Your image didn't show up, when you are writing a post that is an area at the bottom of the 'box' where you can drag an image file to have it show up (where it says drag files here or choose files...), it has to be in one of the formats listed.

Meanwhile, I haven't had the yellowing happen, I have a glue-water angel at the top of my tree right now (still, yes--our New Year's Day tradition is taking decorations down) that is at lest 10 years old and is still pristine looking.  I wonder if it has anything to do with how it's stored, or humidity--I live in a low humidity area, and the angel is not wrapped in paper it just sits on a shelf with other decorations in my linen closet. Non-acid-free paper can turn things brown or yellow, I have seen that happen with a not-glue-stiffened doily I inherited from my grandmother.

[Shirley Gibson]

20 hours ago, Granny Square said:

Welcome to the ville!  Your image didn't show up, when you are writing a post that is an area at the bottom of the 'box' where you can drag an image file to have it show up (where it says drag files here or choose files...), it has to be in one of the formats listed.

Meanwhile, I haven't had the yellowing happen, I have a glue-water angel at the top of my tree right now (still, yes--our New Year's Day tradition is taking decorations down) that is at lest 10 years old and is still pristine looking.  I wonder if it has anything to do with how it's stored, or humidity--I live in a low humidity area, and the angel is not wrapped in paper it just sits on a shelf with other decorations in my linen closet. Non-acid-free paper can turn things brown or yellow, I have seen that happen with a not-glue-stiffened doily I inherited from my grandmother.

 

[Shirley Gibson]

Thank you for your response.  I wrapped my angels lightly with white tissue paper.  I'm going to try stiffening them again with the glue.  Perhaps I used to much glue and not enough water.  I won't wrap them in paper.  Thank you.

[bgs]

Beautiful angels.  Glad you got them back to white.  I dont think its the amount of glue because sometimes I dont thin the Elmer's out any.  Sometimes I use Tacky glue and thin it out some.  In some cases I am going for very stiff. My stuff is stored in plastic boxes. Regular cardboard boxes would also be acidic and could cause yellowing.

[Granny Square]

Those angels are gorgeous! 

What ruined my gram's  doily was a flat brown paper bag it had probably been in for decades before it came to me.    I store my stuff in clear plastic as well.