When testing out the stiffeners, I tried to choose light and dark colors, as well as one larger piece of tatting. The stiffening mixtures were prepared in plastic cups or bowls, and I let the tatting soak for a few minutes before removing it and blotting with a paper towel. I then set the tatting to dry overnight on a paper plate that had been covered in plastic wrap.
All in all, the stiffeners were much more similar to each other than I had expected. I really thought that some of these would turn out badly, but they all ended up being viable methods for stiffening tatting.
The first one I tried was Elmer's glue mixed with water. Instructions online say to mix about half glue and half water.
Update: I received a message informing me that there is also a product called Elmer's Glue-All, which is different than the school glue. I might go back and run another test with Glue-All to see how well it works for stiffening.
On my first attempt, I put way too much water in the mixture and not enough glue. The stiffened tatting really wasn't stiff at all. It was almost as if I had blocked it with plain water. So, I tried again, making sure to put much less water and much more glue. It helped a lot, but the glue + water mixture is still the least stiff of all of the options that I tried. Here's a photo of the stiffened tatting:
I didn't notice any whitening of the tatting, even when using this on black thread. Maybe a little duller than untreated tatting, but you'd have to really stare at it to notice.
The next stiffener I tried was Mod Podge mixed with water. I chose the "matte" finish because I didn't think that glossy would work well. I didn't find any recommendations for Mod Podge, but I'm familiar with using it to seal finished puzzles and I really like the product.
The Mod Podge was much easier to mix with water than the Elmer's glue. However, like the Elmer's glue, I underestimated the amount of Mod Podge and had to go back for a second trial to increase the proportion. The resulting tatting turned out fairly stiff, and the color remained mostly unchanged. There is a very slight dulling of the black thread that is really difficult to see.
Overall, this turned out pretty well, and I might even be able to use Mod Podge by itself, without mixing any water in (though I haven't tested this yet).
The third stiffener I tried was Mod Podge Stiffy, a fabric stiffener. This ended up being my favorite of the group.
The mixture is already made for you, so you don't have to add water. However, you can add water if you'd like to dilute it. This stuff really works and the tatting was very stiff after drying. Perfect for a tatted box.
The one mistake I made with the fabric stiffener is that I didn't blot it out enough afterwards. It started to pool a little bit and left residue on the finished tatting. I tried it a second time and made sure to blot the tatting really well. This worked for me, and I didn't see any residue after it dried. The black thread is a tiny bit dull, but again, it's hard to see unless you compare it with untreated black thread and look very closely.
The last stiffener I tried was corn starch mixed with water. I followed a recipe found on this website (click here).
With this recipe, the tatting didn't turn out as stiff as I would have liked, but it would still work well on snowflakes and other tatting. (I just want mine really stiff because I'm making a box).
I tried making a new corn starch mixture with a lot less water, but it ended up turning into a gelatin. I still used the gelatin to stiffen the tatting, and it was near impossible to blot out. It also dulled the color, as you can see in this photo.
This was initially the same shade of pink, which turned much lighter with corn starch (left) and retained its original color with Mod Podge Stiffy (right).
I think I'll save these tatted samples in ziplock bags so I can get an idea of how the stiffeners hold up over time. I'm wondering if any of them will start to yellow or make the colors of the thread fade.
For my tatted box, I've decided to use Mod Podge Stiffy, and I've already bought a styrofoam block to use as a form. I just have to cut the block to make it the right size and then find the time to stiffen the tatting, probably this weekend. After that, maybe I can start designing a lid?
Update: Click here to read a post about stiffening beaded tatting
17 comments:
Great experiments! Thanks for sharing all the results!!! :)
Don't forget to mark on the bags what stiffener you used. :)
Thank for sharing the results of this experiment Robyn. Very interesting outcomes with the different products. It also looks like Mod Podge Stiffy here in Australia which is good news.
Interesting experiments, thanks. I have also heard that cornflour is more likely to attract pests. I guess that would depend on your environment though.
Great information I like the Elmer's glue personally cause you can remove it by soaking. (Which might be helpful in years to come) and another favorite is the sugar water experiment which has yet to call bugs 😀 but you may enjoy much better than the old cornstarch,.
Thanks for sharing your test results! I purchased some Fa-brick a year or so ago, but after reading the directions I never even opened the bottle. I suppose I should give it a try. I do have a problem blotting with paper towels. Maybe it's the brand I buy, but little bits of fuzz seem to appear. My daughter recommended Bambooee reusable paper towels. They hold up really well and are supposed to be good for 30 washes... just a thought!
Fantastic tests and thanks for sharing the results. Did you try any tatting pieces that had beads? I was wondering if blotting off the beads would remove too much of the stiffener....or would the products dry "clear" and not cloud up the beads. Using a tiny paint brush to avoid getting stiffener on beads is rather tedious and I never seem to get enough on the thread to do the job properly. Never tried immersing the entire piece. Has anyone???
I have some tatted samples that I could test using the Mod Podge Stiffy, and then add the results to the bottom of this post in a few days. I think I have a sample with beads, and I know I have one with a metal filigree finding in the middle.
I imagine that blotting with a paper towel would remove the stiffener from the beads, but it's definitely something you should test on some scraps first. With Mod Podge Stiffy, extra blotting didn't seem to have any effect on the stiffness of the tatting, as it had already soaked into the fibers.
Already have my labels ready :)
Hmmm...I didn't notice any fuzz on mine. We just use the generic brand of paper towels from Walmart. The problem I tend to have is finding rabbit fur woven into my tatting. Billy always wants me to pet him while I am tatting, and right now he is molting so there is rabbit fur everywhere!
Very interesting, not sure any of these products are available in the UK. I have not seen the in the shops.
I tend to use PVC glue mixed with a little water, as spray starch does not work for me,
Thank you! I agree with your choice of the three, especially for a box. I'm getting ready to stiffen a box and have been considering what stiffener to use. There is another product called "Terial Magic" that is a spay (no chemicals) used to stiffen fabrics for use in making fabric flowers (including silk) and to prepare pieces for fabric applique. I have tested it on numerous pieces and it worked very well. The only thing I noted was a very,very slight darkening of the threads. It's available in fabric/quilt shops and I've seen it on Amazon. I think I purchased mine from the originator on line.
Interesting, I've never heard of that product. I'll have to try it out sometime!
Thank you for this post which is very informative and useful.
I missed this post ! Great experimentation and documentation.
Glad you found the right product for stiffening the box :-)
Have you considered transparent nail enamel /top coat ? I cannot vouch for chemical composition and long-term effect, but it really stiffens thread. If applied to the underside ? I use it to stiffen the tip of thread when stringing beads. Judith Connors shared this tip
I wasn't planning on trying clear nail polish because Grace said that it started to chip off of her tatting after a while. It does sound like a good method for stringing beads though, and maybe even threading a needle when the ends are prone to fraying.
Bless your heart for your honest experiments. Just what I needed . Thankyou.
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