Starching of little items.

[Horsy]

Hi.  I have never starched small items such as stars and snowflakes, which I am now making.  So, my question is:

Can you starch these kinds of projects if they are crocheted from somewhat fuzzy yarn? In this case, Scheepjes Stonewashed #2 Fine, 78% cotton and 22% acrylic.   I am just crocheting with what I have on hand (stashbusting).  Thanks.  I am using other yarns and threads, too, whatever is at the bottom of the box.  

While I'm here, if you place sparkly sprinkles onto the stars while they are drying, will they stick, or should I buy a glitter spray?

[Lacycrochet]

8 hours ago, Horsy said:

Hi.  I have never starched small items such as stars and snowflakes, which I am now making.  So, my question is:

Can you starch these kinds of projects if they are crocheted from somewhat fuzzy yarn? In this case, Scheepjes Stonewashed #2 Fine, 78% cotton and 22% acrylic.   I am just crocheting with what I have on hand (stashbusting).  Thanks.  I am using other yarns and threads, too, whatever is at the bottom of the box.  

While I'm here, if you place sparkly sprinkles onto the stars while they are drying, will they stick, or should I buy a glitter spray?

I have never used anything other then thread for xmas ornaments and I use elmer glue to block them.  I would make a small swatch and test it out with the starch. If it doesn't work you haven't ruined your star.  I can't speak to sparkles, I have never used them, maybe someone else has some experience in the forum with them. I am thinking though, if you want to try the glue, mix some in and use it on a test swatch to see if they stick.

[Granny Square]

I'm with Lacycrochet; for snowflakes I've used a 50/50 white glue & water solution, wetting the decorations, wringing out, and pinning out to dry (with rust proof pins).  I suppose if you do that, you could lightly sprinkle glitter on it while it dries; but then you'd only have glitter on 1 side.  (I personally don't like glitter at all (messy), and instead for that sort of thing I use metallic looking thread; they make crochet thread with plastic strands that are sparkly.   I think they look more elegant than glitter would, & less messy!  (because they have plastic strands, you probably don't want to iron them)

Aunt Lydia sparkly thread https://www.yarnspirations.com/search?q=crochet+thread (edit, click on the metallic thread at right side of top row, I linked the whole thread page by mistake.)

Hobby Lobby sparkly thread https://www.hobbylobby.com/Yarn-Needle-Art/Crochet/Crochet-Thread/Metallic-Artiste-Crochet-Cotton-Thread/p/81006124?queryId=779ef8b12ae02c65cd0a4c57e32f6d90

Edited November 2, 2023 by Granny Square

[ReniC]

I too use the Elmer's Glue and water recipe to stiffen cotton ornies or the commercial stiffener available at craft stores. I also like to use holographic glitter on such items as snowflakes and certain areas of angels and have never had a problem with the glitter falling off after drying. I've not stiffened anything made with fuzzy yarn but have seen some items and it makes the project look like a wet cat with stiff strands sticking out. With acrylic, your best outcome would be just to block with rust-proof pins and water misted on then dried. they will be soft though.

[Horsy]

Thanks to all of you for advice and comments.  LacyCrochet - it  never occurred to me to do a test with my wooly yarn.   As to sparklies, apparently there is a spray.  

Granny Square, I tried making a star with a  thin, chainette type cotton yarn (luxury, gourmet-type yarn) with a thin metallic thread running thru it.  I don't know what I did wrong but the shiny thread had a tendency to come apart from the rest of the yarn and it was a struggle to complete the snowflake.  Maybe this yarn was meant for loose crocheting and knitting instead of tightly done projects.  Thanks for the links to those 2 sparkly yarns; since you have used them, I am going to give one or the other a try.  

Reni C, I was glad to hear of your experience.   I've never heard of holographic glitter; will have to look this one up.   With my one fuzzy yarn snowflake, I am not going to try starching it - a wet cat is not the look I am aiming for...    

So, I'm trudging on, trying to make 2 or 3 stars or snowflakes every evening.  Is anyone here making Christmas decorations?   Mine are for hanging from the ceiling. 

 

 

[Granny Square]

I'm sorry Horsey, I totally missed the 'fuzzy yarn' in your initial post and focused on 'stars and snowflakes', which I've only made in smooth, mercerized doily thread, since most of this sort of pattern that  I've run across have been intended for thread.  And my link was to not-yarn, but very much not-fuzzy "doily" thread.

Agree that a test is certainly in order, I've never stiffened yarn in any way, but I am not imagining any outcome that I'd be happy with.

There are thicker threads than the #10 size that are typically used for doilies, example #3 and #5 (3 is bigger, maybe roughly 'sock yarn' size), but you are going to need a smaller hook than you are accustomed to using.  Looking at the Yarnspirations site for #3 thread, it suggests this gauge: "Crochet Gauge: 4" x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm) 16 dc and 21 rows with a 3.25/3.5 mm (U.S. D/3 or E/4) crochet hook".  Unfortunately, at least this brand doesn't seem to have sparkly colors in that size, but the 'white glue and water' solution would work better on big thread than fuzzy yarn.

Edited November 3, 2023 by Granny Square

[NCcountrygal]

On 11/1/2023 at 11:31 PM, Horsy said:

Hi.  I have never starched small items such as stars and snowflakes, which I am now making.  So, my question is:

Can you starch these kinds of projects if they are crocheted from somewhat fuzzy yarn? In this case, Scheepjes Stonewashed #2 Fine, 78% cotton and 22% acrylic.   I am just crocheting with what I have on hand (stashbusting).  Thanks.  I am using other yarns and threads, too, whatever is at the bottom of the box.  

While I'm here, if you place sparkly sprinkles onto the stars while they are drying, will they stick, or should I buy a glitter spray?

You might like to check out:

https://thecrochetcrowd.com/7-crochet-snowflakes-with-tutorials/
 

tutorial using starch and video 

Never used glitter but I would say a spray on after starching steps completed and dried. Have fun. I did a bunch of acrylic yarn stars and snowflakes x years back. Did well but really needed stiffening the following years. 

[Horsy]

@GrannySquare.  Thanks for your additional info.  I found some really thin thread, way thinner than #3 (there's no label) in my box o' remnants, in green & red,  and I am going to take a crack at it, maybe double it, otherwise the stars will be too tiny. 

This is sure a lot of fun when you try something new and different.  I made a snowflake yesterday with #3 thread with a 2.5mm hook.  These threads are naturally shiny as you know.  

If the entire effort comes out looking nice, I will unpack the 20-year-old digital camera...heh heh

 

PS:  Some of the patterns are awfully defective, to the point of nonsensical, but because I know what the final  effect is intended to be, I can figure things out.  Do these folks not re-read their instrs.  FEH  And most of them say "Easy!  For beginners!"  No beginner of my acquaintance will do anything but tear her hair out. 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Horsy

[ReniC]

This is the online site I use for snowflake patterns. I love her patterns and never had a problem with them. Snowcatcher

[Granny Square]

I've worked a few of Snowcatcher's patterns, some are pretty innovative.  Her instructions are clear; I haven't been to her site in a while, thanks for reminding me.

The only thing I can think of about snowflake construction, that is pretty unusual if you haven't made one before, is all those branchy bits--where you start a chain from the center, then slip stitch back into the chain a few chains before, then chain some more, and repeat.  The stitches aren't hard, but you might think 'what the heck is  going on?' at first with all the forward and backward progress.

[Ellie 13]

I haven't made snowflakes for years. I used 50/50 white glue/water mix. I used rust proof pins and a thick styrofoam board covered with wax paper. As for sparkle, I used clear (maybe it was holographic) glitter. To cover both sides, put a little glitter on a plate and place them on it, then add a little on top. If you don't use too much, it'll stay on better. 

Ellie 13

[Horsy]

I can't believe all those snowflakes in one place. Thanks, ReniC.  Where oh where to start...  To Ellie 13 & Granny Square, thank you for all your info.  

What a happy day!  ❄️❄️

 

[ReniC]

You're welcome Horsy. Have fun and please show us some of your finished snowflakes.

[Horsy]

Well, I made a couple of snowflakes with #3 thread and I can see why someone would use thinner thread.   I soaked them in starch today but when blocking it is hard to open up some of the stitches if you know what I mean.  They just kind of stay in a bunch.   I'd say #5 or #10 is called for.  Oh well, when they're dry and hanging from the ceiling, who'll notice. 

 

[ReniC]

We are our worst critics! I'll bet they look great.

[Granny Square]

How are you blocking them?  For doilies in general, I treat them like I'm putting them on 'the rack' in a medieval torture chamber, pinning them to a template covered with wax paper or plastic wrap, and I pin out every little point that it makes sense to pin.  For some bigger doilies, I use most of the pins in my rust-proof pin box.

Example for a snowflake (which has 6 'arms', right?), I would not use only 6 pins, I'd pin all the other little points and picots that most crocheted snowflakes have, up and down the 6 arms. 

Example, the pic at the bottom (looks like I eyeballed this instead of using a template since it's pretty small, and it's a bit crooked in spots), I'd have pinned each of the set of 3 picots on every other point (36 pins right there), and 1 pin for the picots in-between (6 pins) so 42 pins for an item about 4.75" across.  I didn't use glue-water, just a liberal dose of spray starch, and now holding it in the air by 1 point and waving it around, I don't think you'd need anything stiffer to hang it to keep it's shape.

If you are interested in the pattern, it's here https://theloopystitch.com/free-patterns/starflake-pattern/  I used Aunt Lydia's #10 thread .

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Granny Square

[Horsy]

Wow,  that is right beautiful.  I could probably take a crack  at it after I go to Michael's in a few days to get some gold thread.  How do I block, you ask.   I am lucky to have thick blocking mats, the kind that fit together like a puzzle if you are doing something quite large.   I made some cornstarch solution on the stove as I haven't been to the store yet for glue or anything ready-made, but this starch seems to be OK.   Yes, I use many, many pins to block everywhere. 

Oh what the heck, here is a photo I got my son to take just now to show you this copper coloured snow flake (#3 thread I think),  my very first.  I also made a white one and then I am going to try one or two from the Snowcatcher site mentioned by ReniC.  Maybe the kind with arms. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Horsy
Fixed image.

[NCcountrygal]

10 hours ago, Horsy said:

Wow,  that is right beautiful.  I could probably take a crack  at it after I go to Michael's in a few days to get some gold thread.  How do I block, you ask.   I am lucky to have thick blocking mats, the kind that fit together like a puzzle if you are doing something quite large.   I made some cornstarch solution on the stove as I haven't been to the store yet for glue or anything ready-made, but this starch seems to be OK.   Yes, I use many, many pins to block everywhere. 

Oh what the heck, here is a photo I got my son to take just now to show you this copper coloured snow flake (#3 thread I think),  my very first.  I also made a white one and then I am going to try one or two from the Snowcatcher site mentioned by ReniC.  Maybe the kind with arms. 

Looks great.  The spray solution recipe  I dabbled with last year worked great for me.  Ended up diluting because I didnt want doilies that stiff.  🙂

[NCcountrygal]

 

[Horsy]

@NCcountrygal.  

Looks great.  The spray solution recipe  I dabbled with last year worked great for me.  Ended up diluting because I didnt want doilies that stiff.

 Thanks.  I have made only one really lacy doily and I have not starched it at all, but I guess I will now.  It seems from what you say that your starching substance has to be different for big and little objects.  

By the way, I guess that my above "snowflake" is one of the easier patterns, isn't it.  Oh well, we have to challenge ourselves, don't we, by trying more difficult things at some point.  Ha ha ha.

[Granny Square]

Nothing wrong with your blocking, except I'd have been a little more aggressive to get pointier ice crystals, and maybe you could have pinched the loops a little--note that the tips on my doily are similar in form (just loops), but pulled tightly together with blocking.  Also, a slightly smaller hook might help as well, I use a #7 hook with #10 thread (but everybody's tension is different).  I have used up to a #10 hook with that thread, but that's pushing it a bit.

 

[Horsy]

5 hours ago, Granny Square said:

Nothing wrong with your blocking, except I'd have been a little more aggressive to get pointier ice crystals, and maybe you could have pinched the loops a little--note that the tips on my doily are similar in form (just loops), but pulled tightly together with blocking.  Also, a slightly smaller hook might help as well, I use a #7 hook with #10 thread (but everybody's tension is different).  I have used up to a #10 hook with that thread, but that's pushing it a bit.

 

Thank you so much for your advice & suggestions.   Yes, I used a relatively large hook.  I can't remember what size, but I know  that I wanted the job to be "easy", no struggles with insertion of hook, or seeing what was going on, etc.  Now that I see I can actually make a snowflake, then I can graduate to a smaller hook (as recommended by pattern).  

[ReniC]

The snowflake turned out beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. With each project you make, block, stiffen and enjoy, you will find out what you like the best. Whether it be about the stiffener, thread, pattern, size, whatever. Don't be hard on yourself as it's a learning process. Have fun!

[Horsy]

3 hours ago, ReniC said:

The snowflake turned out beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. With each project you make, block, stiffen and enjoy, you will find out what you like the best. Whether it be about the stiffener, thread, pattern, size, whatever. Don't be hard on yourself as it's a learning process. Have fun!

Friend for life, ReniC. 

[Ellie 13]

All the snow flakes are beautiful. I couldn't find any thread snowflakes I years ago (gave them away), I did find the pattern books though. The last time I made some, I used Sugar & Cream cotton with a bigger hook to make coasters (I found a note in one book). I have a few of those, but I never starched those.

Ellie 13