What is the best stiffener for crochet?

Hair spray. If you need more "hold", use the styling mousse that performers
and punk rockers use.

Aaron

"Katherine Burgess" wrote in message
...
Thanks, Lucille. I have added that to my favourites.
Katherine

"Lucille" wrote in message
et...
I decided that instead of looking through my old books I would look on
google and I found this website that I think tells it all:

http://www.crochetmemories.com/crochet8.html

Lucille


"Mary" wrote in message
om...
I am about to make some custom Christmas ornaments and some will need
to have stiffener applied to keep a ball shape. I noticed that the
type I used last time-Beacon stiffen stuff- did not hold up when I put
the tie on. When the ball hung it bent out of shape. Any ideas? Don't
like the sugar mixtures, ants are everywhere in FL.lol I noticed that
Southmaid cotton holds shape pretty well for smaller things like
angels and stars.

Thanks Group
Mary Glass
www.glasscrochet.com

Oh, those sound really cute! What a neat idea! See, I knew there would be
a reasonable explanation. ;o)

Jenn

"Mary" wrote in message
om...
lol I was going to just do half of it for those, I wanted to make like
a shell of lace then make something small like a mini santa, elf, or
teddy bear dangling from the center of it. Thanks for the balloon idea
though, I will use that for the complete balls. Mary

If you aren't planning on leaving the styrofoam or plastic ball inside,
how
would you get it out? (If this is a silly question, please forgive my
naivete.) )

Jenn

"Mary" wrote in message
om...
I was going to use syrofoam balls, good thing you mentioned the
plastic ones because I never thought of the stuff sticking to the
styrofoam. Thanks! )


Hi Mary,

in my previous answer I didn´t notice that you need to keep a ball
shape, sorry.
I don´t know if it can be of any help, but I´ve seen in Austria
trasparent plastic balls used for keeping the shape of crocheted
stuff.

Bye,

Anna Maria

Oh, those sound really cute! What a neat idea! See, I knew there would be
a reasonable explanation. ;o)

Jenn

"Mary" wrote in message
om...
lol I was going to just do half of it for those, I wanted to make like
a shell of lace then make something small like a mini santa, elf, or
teddy bear dangling from the center of it. Thanks for the balloon idea
though, I will use that for the complete balls. Mary

If you aren't planning on leaving the styrofoam or plastic ball inside,
how
would you get it out? (If this is a silly question, please forgive my
naivete.) )

Jenn

"Mary" wrote in message
om...
I was going to use syrofoam balls, good thing you mentioned the
plastic ones because I never thought of the stuff sticking to the
styrofoam. Thanks! )


Hi Mary,

in my previous answer I didn´t notice that you need to keep a ball
shape, sorry.
I don´t know if it can be of any help, but I´ve seen in Austria
trasparent plastic balls used for keeping the shape of crocheted
stuff.

Bye,

Anna Maria

Thanks Lucille, I checked it out. Has alot of great ideas. I'm finding
the best thing to do is experiment and find out what works the best
for each thing. Thanks again.

Mary
www.glasscrochet.com


"Lucille" wrote in message . net...
I decided that instead of looking through my old books I would look on
google and I found this website that I think tells it all:

http://www.crochetmemories.com/crochet8.html

Lucille


"Mary" wrote in message
om...
I am about to make some custom Christmas ornaments and some will need
to have stiffener applied to keep a ball shape. I noticed that the
type I used last time-Beacon stiffen stuff- did not hold up when I put
the tie on. When the ball hung it bent out of shape. Any ideas? Don't
like the sugar mixtures, ants are everywhere in FL.lol I noticed that
Southmaid cotton holds shape pretty well for smaller things like
angels and stars.

Thanks Group
Mary Glass
www.glasscrochet.com

Thanks. When I get some done I will post the link on the groups so you
can check them out if you like. ) Mary

"JW" wrote in message news:f_T_a.146705$YN5.96128@sccrnsc01...
Oh, those sound really cute! What a neat idea! See, I knew there would be
a reasonable explanation. ;o)

Jenn

"Mary" wrote in message
om...
lol I was going to just do half of it for those, I wanted to make like
a shell of lace then make something small like a mini santa, elf, or
teddy bear dangling from the center of it. Thanks for the balloon idea
though, I will use that for the complete balls. Mary

A friend of mine uses corn starch and water. Same idea, I'm sure.

--
Star love,
Norma ;-)
"Allaya Diep" wrote in message
news:5xT_a.2844$S_.362@fed1read01...
Yeah, in Thailand we use something similar, Tapioca Starch. You prepare
it
in a similar fashion, boiling it until it becomes thick. It's pretty
strong, so you can dilute it if necessary in a bit of water. Works really
well if you want starched napkins too...you'd take about a tablespoon or
so
of the gooey stuff and put it in a bathroom sink's worth of hot water.
Soak
napkins for a few minutes and then iron.

Allaya

"Anna MCM" wrote in message
...
Katherine Burgess wrote:

Mary,
I would like an answer to this, too. I have never been pleased with
stiffeners I have used.
Katherine

I had the same problem as well.
I used diluited (spelling?) glue for shaping my croched lacy baskets and
bells, but each time I ended making a mess LOL
A Russian friend of mine suggested me a good and frugal solution: potato
flour!
You boil some water and then add a spoon or two of flour. You´ll get a
pretty disgusting jelly. Then dip your stuff in the jelly (you´ll feel
for your lace, I guarantee you LOL) and shape it on a form. I usually
use sallad bowls or glasses. Wait until dry. Stiffened!
Then you can wash your forms in the dishwasher without any problem. IT
was harder to take away the glue from them (DH forbid me to use that for
this purpose LOL).

Hope it helps,

Anna Maria

| On Fri, 15 Aug 2003 12:00:20 -0400, "Norma" wrote:

A friend of mine uses corn starch and water. Same idea, I'm sure.

I've also heard of using liquid laundry starch full strength. Do they even
sell that any more?? Used to be pink and come in gallon jugs...


Helen "Halla" Fleischer,
Fantasy & Fiber Artist in Fairland, MD USA
http://home.covad.net/~drgandalf/halla/

....or, if all else fails, you could check out crafts stores locally and online,
and find one of the commercial fabric stiffeners. Aleene's makes Aleene's
Fabric Stiffener, and the Plaid company makes one called Stiffie. Check out
crafts places for silk flowers, too; there's another kind of stiffener they use
that makes the fabric look somewhat like porcelain, which is beautiful with the
flowers.

Most crafts places carry at least one brand of something like this. Ok, so
you're spending more money. g But then, you're less likely to have ants
investigating what they think are foodstuffs. Aso, with many of the commercial
types you can paint or otherwise decorate the object after it's dried, without
wet paint making it go limp again.

Monica

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