Water soluble embroidery stabilizer and topper scraps can be used to create your own fabric stiffener spray. Fabric stiffeners are used on limp or thin fabrics to help prevent puckering during embroidery. To use a liquid fabric stiffener, spray it onto the fabric, let the fabric air dry until it is barely damp, and then iron the fabric with a press cloth until the fabric is dry. Afterward, hoop the stiffened fabric and your stabilizer of choice as usual.
Here are instructions to recycle your water soluble stabilizer scraps and turn it into a handy fabric stiffener spray.
Supplies
- 1 cup water soluble stabilizer and water soluble topper scraps (cut into small pieces)
- 5 cups distilled water (hot, but not boiling)
- 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1 spray Bottle
- 1 glass bowl
- 1 metal fork (or other long handled metal utensil for stirring)
Instructions
- Put 3 cups of hot water into the glass bowl.
- Begin adding the water soluble stabilizer/topper pieces into the bowl, stirring with the fork.
- Slowly stir until the pieces dissolve. Add more pieces slowly, until all of the scraps are used. Do not shake or whisk, as this will create undesirable bubbles in your mixture.
- When the mixture gets thick, then add more hot water and continue stirring.
- When all the water soluble stabilizer scraps are dissolved, then add enough hot water to create a consistency that is similar to dish washing liquid soap.
- Add the rubbing alcohol to the mixture until the mixture is watery.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Fill a spray bottle with the mixture.
- Test your new spray on dark colored fabrics. (Spray. Let dry. Check for any stickiness or white flakes or discoloration.)
- If the test works (the fabric dries without being sticky or discolored), then you can use your new spray fabric stiffener on fabrics prior to embroidery. If the spray bottle clogs, run the nozzle under hot water to dissolve the clog and add more rubbing alcohol or distilled water to dilute your mixture further.
- If your spray doesn’t stiffen enough, then dissolve some additional scraps in hot water and add this to your spray bottle, stirring well.
- If the spray has trouble drying or leaves a visible residue, then add more distilled water or alcohol.