[lace] Starch
In case anyone in the UK is interested Sainsbury's are now selling traditional starch (as opposed to the rubbishy spray stuff) the company has a website http://www.kershaws-starch.co.uk/. I don't know what it is like, I haven't tried it yet but I always preferred to starch my linens and lace as well as my net curtains with traditional starch and always used to use the Robin Starch which I haven't seen for years. This is a 100% natural product. I think there have been discussions before on the fors and against of starching heirloom linen and lace but can't remember what the final poll was. Jane Portchester UK - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [lace] Starch??
I made a piece of honiton for my mother's 60th and put it in a frame with some backing fabric and a piece of cardboard behind the backing fabric. The back of the frame slid into place which was fun but I eventually got the lace where I wanted it to be. It's 11 years later and the lace is still where it was the day I gave it to my mum. Regards Liz Beecher -Original Message- From: ann DURANT [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 01 August 2003 23:09 To: alice howell; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [lace] Starch?? I'm sure there's lots of reasons for not doing what I do when I am running a Christmas "conveyor belt", but when I have not the time to carefully stitch a motif to a base fabric, I cut a piece of felt (whatever colour I decide) the same size as the glass in a bought frame, then I lay the frame face downward, with the glass in place, then I lay the motif carefully in the centre of the glass, lay the felt on top of that and finally replace the back, fixing it in place. The felt holds the motif in position and fills the space between the back and the glass, and the motif doesn't move about. I've been doing this for up to 10 years, and they don't seem to have come to any harm. If the recipient wants to mount it in a different way, that's up to them! Ann in Manchester, UK - Original Message - From: "alice howell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 6:44 PM Subject: Re: [lace] Starch?? > 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] > - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] _ This message has been checked for all known viruses on behalf of Vivista by MessageLabs. http://www.messagelabs.com or Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Vivista formerly Securicor Information Systems for further information http://www.vivista.co.uk ** The information contained in this e-mail message is intended only for the individuals named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you should be aware that any dissemination, distribution, forwarding or other duplication of this communication is strictly prohibited. The views expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual author and not necessarily those of Vivista Limited. Prior to taking any action based upon this e-mail message you should seek appropriate confirmation of its authenticity. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender by using the e-mail reply facility. **
Re: [lace] Starch??
I'm sure there's lots of reasons for not doing what I do when I am running a Christmas "conveyor belt", but when I have not the time to carefully stitch a motif to a base fabric, I cut a piece of felt (whatever colour I decide) the same size as the glass in a bought frame, then I lay the frame face downward, with the glass in place, then I lay the motif carefully in the centre of the glass, lay the felt on top of that and finally replace the back, fixing it in place. The felt holds the motif in position and fills the space between the back and the glass, and the motif doesn't move about. I've been doing this for up to 10 years, and they don't seem to have come to any harm. If the recipient wants to mount it in a different way, that's up to them! Ann in Manchester, UK - Original Message - From: "alice howell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 6:44 PM Subject: Re: [lace] Starch?? > 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] > - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Starch??
I use "Safeway" spray starch before I press (iron) things (under a cotton cover cloth or tea towel (are they called that in the US?)). I'm a bookmark-a-holic and think bookmarks work better without plastic sleeves. The starch gives some body to them. I mainly use cotton and haven't had any problems with "discolouring" or anything Viv - Original Message - From: "Johanna Brown" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 6:04 PM Subject: [lace] Starch?? > 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?? > > Johanna > - > To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: > unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Starch??
Johanna, There's starch, and then there's a wee bit of starch. I make my greeting cards by tacking a piece of lace (tatting or bobbin lace) onto cards. These are small motifs, they are not heirloom pieces, and they will be given to people who have no clue how to treat lace, but who love the work. Many of the cards I have given have ended up framed, and some ladies who have gotten quite a few cards through the years have been put in photo albums. That said, I want the motifs to hold their shape and sit well on the card, but I also want them soft and lacey. This means that I want to use just a tiny bit of starch to help, but nowhere near cardboard texture (I don't like cardboard texture, soft or hard). Step by step: I start by laying a white towel on the ironing board. I place the motif on the towel, laying it exactly as I want it to be; if the motif doesn't want to behave, I use a few pins, but I try to keep pins at a minimum. I spray lightly with spray starch, the kind for collars and shirts, just a quick pass over the motif. Then, I put a wet pressing cloth on the motif and press with the iron a bit cooler than recommended (ex: if cotton, use the setting before cotton). I move the pressing cloth so another wet part is over the motif and press again. I turn off the iron, put away the pressing cloth, remove any pins from the motif and walk away. I never touch or move the motif when wet. When the motif has completed dried, which will take a while because the towel has to dry underneath (I usually work on the idea of overnight), I use the motif. Just a tad of spray starch will leave the motif soft and lacey but help it keep its form. I am known to do this with mat/doilies also, but then I use or give what I do, and don't consider any of it heirloom quality. Hope this helps, Lise-Aurore [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [lace] Starch??
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]
RE: [lace] Starch??
If you're going to frame it, why are you stiffening it? You're going to have to tack it to the (presumably fabric) backing in order to be able to tilt the frame upright and not have it fall to the bottom. It's not like you're hanging the piece loose in a window--it'll be protected from poking/handling by the frame and glass, and tacking it to the fabric will keep it spread properly out. Anything you use for stiffening, whether starch or something else, will attract insects or will discolor or will otherwise risk harming the piece, so I'd recommend not doing so when it's not necessary. just my 3 cents, Robin P. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA http://www.pittsburghlace.8m.com -Original Message- From: Johanna Brown [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 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?? - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[lace] Starch???????
Johanna wrote: Haven't tried it myself, so I don't know what the long-term effect might be on discolouration, or whether it can be washed out, but craft and some fabric shops sell fabric stiffener which can be used neat for a cardboard-like effect or diluted for less stiffness. Jean in Poole - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[lace] Starch??
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?? Johanna - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[lace] starch querry
Hello thread weavers, I am a confirmed lurker who very much appreciates all the information and enthusiasm I read on this list. I am delurking (is that a real word?) to ask if anyone can tell me where I can order Moravia Starch? It is on my needs list for an IOLI class and I cannot find a source. Thanks for your help. Judy in Niagara Falls. - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
