i've never used fabric stiffener before...?

Question

i haven't purchased any yet and was wondering...do you mix it with water or use it straight out of the bottle?

Answer 1

You would generally use it straight out of the bottle if you want maximum stiffness.
If you didn't need that much stiffness though, you could dilute it with water to whatever suits your needs.

Btw, you can make the same stuff by simply diluting a permanent "white glue" with water (or using it straight).
White glues are PVA glues like Elmer's Glue All, tacky white glues, even yellow woodworker's glue... but Elmer's will probably be the cheapest --don't buy the Elmer's "washable, school" glue though since it's not permanent. The thinner the glue is diluted though, the less stiff it will make the fabric.

Depending on what you're using it for, you can also use stiffeners like:

...a thick sugar "syrup" (completely dissolve 1 cup regular sugar into 2 cups warm water --or heat on stove to assist dissoving) ... bugs like it in storage though!

...clear acrylic sealers for wood (come in gloss, matte, etc.)

...laundry starch, though doesn't seem to make as stiff

And P.S., this is a messy business, so you might want to brush one of those onto both sides of your fabric, then squeegee off the excess... or put the gluey stuff into a ziptop bag then add the fabric and moosh all around --to remove and squeegee, pull it back out through the top held fairly tightly closed with your hand

P.P.S. We in the polymer clay world also use "liquid polymer clay" or (a very thin layer of solid) "translucent" clay to embed into fabric when we want to stiffen and drape or shape the fabric. Either of those will require baking the item afterward but only in a home oven at about 275 degrees for 10-15 min or so.
If you're using small pieces of (non-synthetic) fabric for your project and you want to check those out, look on this page:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/mixing_media.htm
(... click on *Fabric*...)


HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 2

Hi:

An addition to the liquid polymer clay curing - you can also cure it using a heat tool. That allows you to make items larger than what you can make in a conventional oven. For doing this, you just have to pass the heat over all sections until that particular spot is cured and stiffened. It might be a little tedious and time consuming, but it will work. Hope this helps, too.

Answer 3

The kind I use is called Stiffen Stuff. You just spray it on stright out of the bottle.
No matter what kind you use, just follow the directions on the bottle and you won't go wrong...

Answer 4

The product should not be diluted in order to get the best results.

Answer 5

well the liquid stuff you use straiht i beleive ...the only Im familiar with is Modge Podge which is the consistancy of glue...spread on and it dries clear....there are interfacings as well depending on what type of project you are working on....