Fabric Stiffener and Lace

[WearYourWild]

Can someone please give me tips on using fabric stiffener? It's always nice to hear from someone that's actually used a product and knows what the results will be like.

I bought Aleene's Fabric Stiffener and Draping Liquid, but the bottle doesn't have very good information.
I have some vintage lace that I would like to use for necklaces and am not sure if I should stiffen it or leave it natural. I'm afraid that if I stiffen it, it will turn out like Christmas snowflakes!
Any and all comments are much appreciated!
I'll check back in later.
Thanks~
Katie

[TheWhimsicalMuse]

I used Aleene's Fabric Stiffen Quick once. I found that I had to spray it & let it dry a number of times to get the stiffness I wanted for my project. My results weren't like those rock hard snowflakes. I think it can also be rinsed out if you don't care for the result.

[WearYourWild]

Yay! A human or should I say zebra is here! :)
Thanks for posting. This is my first time posting in T&M w/o the forum format. It's lonely in here!

My Aleene's isn't a spray. ? It's a thick liquid that I can dilute if I want. I'm supposed to dip the piece in it.
It's good to know that it can be rinsed out. But that doesn't sound too good if the piece is going to be used as jewelry. Wonder what happens if someone starts to sweat?

[frighten]

I use lace on my collages sometimes, and wanted to create kind of a stiff effect on one I'm doing now as part of a dress, but not sure if I should spray it before or after I've applied it to the canvas. I thought of maybe just brushing it with acrylic to seal it, but now you've made me think I should use some kind of fabric stiffener first. My only concern is that if I stiffen the lace, I won't be able to mold it the way I want onto the collage.

[WearYourWild]

Maybe someone will read this and be able to answer your question too frighten.

[Former_Member]

i've got tatted lace doilies which i stiffen using starch. Easy :)

[Former_Member]

My mother in law used to crochet little cotton doilies and stiffen w/ spray starch to make ornaments, etc... After about 15 years, they are still stiff as a board.

[frighten]

Do you think it's okay to spray starch on the canvas after the lace is applied? I'm using acrylic paint as a base.

[WearYourWild]

I have those kind of snowflakes too and they are still stiff after many years.
I didn't want the lace for my necklace to come out hard like that. I was hoping there was a middle ground because I can't imagine wearing a rock hard piece of lace for a necklace. :)
I'm going to try a small piece and see what happens.
frighten, maybe try a little sample also and see how it comes out.
Thanks everyone.

[Gypsymoondesigns]

I have some lace to work with too. I did a google search and found a blog that said to use spray starch and apply it 3 times. Hope that helps!

[WearYourWild]

Did they say how stiff it will be after that?

If you do the spray starch method, come back here and tell us how it went. :)

[Former_Member]

Just do remember, that no matter what type of starch you use, the item will get somewhat limp with time and handling. Besides room temperatures and humidity will affect it too.
I'd personally avoid starch if I could.
If you lace piece is made from 1005 cotton or linen thread, try to gently wash it and then dry with a very hot iron . Do use a press cloth. That technique will stiffen your lace.

[TheWhirlwind]

I have Crafter's Pick fabric stiffener in goo form.. I'm not sure how similar it is to Aleene's. The fabric feels like it just has a layer of glue over it, and gave it a glossy sheen and gritty texture that is not comfy when touched. Maybe I did something wrong! I need to test it more.

I also have a spray version but didn't notice much difference in the fabric I applied it to.

So, I guess my input is that I failed so far haha. Would love to hear if something works better or if there are some good techniques.

[WearYourWild]

inaknits, all I know is that it's cotton lace. I'll try the hot iron. Is a press cloth just a cloth that I put over the lace before ironing or something else I would need to buy?

Marie, did it wash out?
The stiffener I bought looks like Elmers Glue. Your's sounds about the same.

[Fibonacci]

I have tried liquid polymerclay on cotton fabric and it leaves it stiff but bendable.

[Gypsymoondesigns]

I will let you know.

[TheWhirlwind]

I didn't try to wash it out, just moved on to the next project! :)

I just read a little and it says permanent, but that you can wash it in a week. So I assume that means if you wash it before that time it might come out?

[frighten]

I think what I might do is apply the lace to the canvas with a little bit of acrylic and then spray it with fixatif and then after it's dry, maybe one coat of acrylic to seal it. I think I'll try it on a smaller canvas first, just to see what happens.

[Former_Member]

Yes, press cloth is just a piece of light cloth, cotton works the best, that protects your item from being scorched by the hot iron.

The point is not to just iron the lace piece, but to dry it by pressing with hot iron.

[Former_Member]

For applying fabric/lace to canvas [wood or styrofoam] and keeping it workable for about 15 minutes try mixing carpenters' glue [the one that drys clear] up to 50/50 with water. You can either brush it on or spray it depending on how much water you add. Less water is better and faster. Excess and drops clean up with water, once dry it is hard as nails. Glue leaves a matte finish, coat with varnish if you wish. This is how I covered the heads I use for my hat display. See the denim hats in my shop for the prop.

[Former_Member]

Fabric stifner will leave what ever you dip or coat in it hard. Great for making fabric plant pots and 3D bows that never wilt, just work over an empty plastic container as a form, let dry and voila.
Time consuming but does make lace formable is to insert extra fine wire into the lace through the back loops. Using this technique you can actually make lace that will wrap and hold on the neck. Handle/bend gently and it will last a long time.

[WearYourWild]

thanks inaknits! :)

and thanks balmyatticarts! the wire trick sounds interesting. i may give it a go.

[WearYourWild]

Back with my results, in case anyone else wants to use this product.

I used Aleene's Fabric Stiffener & Draping Liquid. I diluted it by 50% with water in a small bowl. I put the lace in. Squished it around, with rubber gloves on. Squeezed out the excess. Set it on plastic wrap and formed it into the shape I wanted, blotting with paper towels, making sure that no holes still had liquid in it. I used a tooth pick to shape the tiny areas.

When it was dry, I rinsed it in hot water. It felt too rough and stiff. (The directions didn't say to do this.) Blotted it with paper towels and set on plastic to dry. When it was dry, it was stiff, but not scratchy rough to the touch.
I'm satisfied with the way it turned out. Plus, I learned that if it gets wet, it shouldn't lose it's shape~

[VintageCarolina]

I know some folks use mod podge and dilute it to the desired "hardness" That would probably be a more permanent solution than the spray starch. Also, you can use diluted elmers type glue, dilute with water. Just had a brain wave, how about wallpaper paste...water soluable but more permanent than starch. There is one type that is extra good, it is powdered and you mix the needed amount with water, but dang, i just can't remember the name of it.

[TheWhirlwind]

Thanks for sharing your results! I'll have to try that method and see if it works better than my first attempt.

Never thought of using mod podge either.. lots of testing to do! :)