The question of starching came up at my last guild meeting with one member asking what I recommended. I told her that I only starch things such as ornaments that need to be stiff or sometimes if the thread is too soft to hold it's shape I will use a spray size. Then, at my other lace guild a newer lacer said she starched everything that came off her pillow, including hankie lace and lace on a beautiful christening robe she had made and trimmed with her lace! She was afraid that it would lose its shape when taken off the pillow. Some of the pieces I have seen are so hard I am sure they will break if bent. I think they probably got this advice from a previous teacher who wanted them to be able to take things off their pillows asap so they could get on with the next piece. What items do you think should be starched? Most things I make are mounted for framing so I have never starched these and in fact, I find that using starch can clog up the fine holes in lace and leave a residue unless the excess is mopped up immediately. Poking the holes makes more work that making the lace! :-) I remember taking an Idjria class with Bridget Cook where she was adamant that you can take the piece off the pillow immediately it was finished, not leaving it for at least an hour or overnight as I must have read somewhere, without aid of starch. I am certainly not going to starch the collar I have almost finished, it is in linen and is stiff enough as it is. Janice
Janice Blair Crystal Lake, 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois, USA http://www.lacemakersofillinois.org/ - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
