What is the best stiffener for crochet?

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

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

Mary wrote:

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.

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

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

I've always used balloons. You put them inside your project, blow them up
to size, then put your stiffener on. You can hang it up to dry (make sure
something is on the floor underneath) easily. Once they're dry, you just
pop the balloon.

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

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, Anna Maria.
I have sent this to myself. It sounds disgusting. g
Katherine

"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

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

Katherine Burgess wrote:

Thanks, Anna Maria.
I have sent this to myself. It sounds disgusting. g
Katherine

It IS disgusting, LOL but it works :-)

Hugs,

Anna Maria

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