At 01:04 PM 7/31/2003 -0400, you wrote: >I have just finished a small motiff and want to frame it. I'm afraid it >will lose it's shape once I remove it from my pillow and am wondering how to >starch it. Does anyone have any advice/ideas??
I think that you need to remove it from the pillow and see how it does before worrying. You didn't say anything about the kind of thread or style of lace or density of the lace. All these things will affect how firm or soft a finished piece is. If it is going to be framed, it would have to be mounted on a backing. Sewing it to the backing would provide support, and you did say 'small'. It wouldn't have great size or weight to sag. (My experience with the lace items basted to fabric for my lace exhibit, where it hung for two months, was that the only item that sagged was a large knitted lace cloth.) Generally, I use starch only on three dimentional items, such as Christmas ornaments or shaped flowers. For anything that is flat, the natural tension of cotton or linen seems to be enough. I haven't done much with silk, so someone else can speak up about that. For the items that I do starch, I pin them out on a piece of cardboard covered with plastic wrap or wax paper. For convenience, I use a spray can of heavy duty starch. Spray, let dry, test. If not stiff enough for the purpose of the item, spray again, and so forth. The pins used for starching are kept in a separate packet labeled 'starch pins'. You can't use them for regular lace again without washing them. Use starch only as a last resort. Mounting it to the backing most likely will be all the support that is needed. Happy lacing, Alice in Oregon - 40 demo hours in 4 days sweltering at the fair. Oregon Country Lacemakers Arachne Secret Pal Administrator Mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
