Shaping and Blocking Instructions
We've provided information to help you achieve a professional finish once you've completed your project. Use our Jump-To menu below for quick reference.
- Work Area
- Work Surface
- Starching Solutions
- How to Apply Stiffeners
- Blocking & Shaping
- Different Molds
- Plastic Wraps
- Rust Proof Pins
- Molding Tips
- Shaping Board 1
- Shaping Board 2
- Shaping Board 3
- Shaping Board 4
- Shaping Board 5
Work Area
It's always best to use a hard flat work surface protected with plastic wrap while working. If you don't have a separate work area, try using an odd sized counter top from your local hardware store (inexpensive). These make for wonderful make shift work area that can be easily removed from your kitchen or other heavily trafficed area to a spare bedroom while your piece dries.
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Work Surface
Many people profess to have the ideal work surface for molding or shaping doilies. In truth, the work surface only needs to be as large as the item your molding or shaping. However, I like to have a fairly large one so I can use it for almost anything I need to shape, now and in the future. I've found that styrofoam or cardboard bases are easy to work with. They're sturdy and flat but also allow pins to penetrate and secure your piece while drying. In either case, you'll have to replace your surface every so often if you do a lot of molding. Other surfaces that can be adapted are ironing board tops, matting, and corkboard, or see how to construct a starching block at bottom of page. For a more professional appearance, it's important that doilies or crocheted bases be shaped evenly. Use our eight-sided and six to twelve-sided template for evenly shaped circles.
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Starching Solutions
We have provided a list of types of stiffening solutions to help you determine which is the right one for you, or achieves the desired effect you want.
How to apply fabric stiffeners
- Commercial Brands/Glue & Water:
It's suggested in most pattern instructions to dip your completed piece in the solution. Usually brand name bottles state to "soak" the piece until it's saturated. I don't prefer this method myself, although I do state in my instructions to dip your crocheted piece in the solution. For best results, I use my finger tips and dab the solution on the piece. I press the mixture into the fibers without rubbing the material. I continue to work around the piece, dabbing solution on and pressing in with my finger tips, while holding it just above the bowl of solution. When done, your piece won't be bunched up from having to squeeze out the excess. It retains it's shape and allows for easier molding. I also dilute commercial fabric stiffeners with enough water for a consistency of thick pancake mixture.
- Cornstarch/Starch Mixture:
After cooking the mixture and allowing to cool slightly. Dip your crocheted piece in the solution and press the mixture into the piece with your hands. Take a clean linen towel and fold in half. Remove the crocheted piece from the solution, gently squeeze out excess being careful not to twist or wring the piece and place between the folds of the towel. Press so the towel will absorb any extra solution. Move the crocheted piece to a dry area of the towel and continue to press the towel, absorbing the excess solution.
- Sugar & Water Solutions:
Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Dip your crocheted piece in the solution and allow it to absorb the mixture into all the fibers. Gently squeeze out excess being careful not to twist or wring the piece.
- Other Methods:
Depending on the solution you use, it's advisable to squeeze out the excess solution being careful to never twist or wring the piece.
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Blocking and Shaping Doilies and More
Doilies, bookmarks and perhaps snowflakes usually need a softer finish. There are many ways to block these items from simply spraying with water and shaping as desired to pressing the item with an iron.
- Water:
A) For a professional appearance, place a template on preferred work surface and cover with plastic wrap. Gently stretch doily on prepared surface aligning the doily sections with the lines on the template. Fill a mister/sprayer with water and lightly spray water evenly over the doily. Use rust proof pins if necessary to secure the doily while drying.
B) Fill a sprayer/mister with water and lightly spray water evenly over your piece. Cover with a handkerchief and press on the wrong side using a cool iron setting.
C) Fill a sprayer/mister with water and lightly spray water evenly over your piece, then gently stretch and shape on top of a terry towel. Let dry.
- Spray Starch:
Spray starch is used for a little heavier shaping, but yet retains a soft finish. Follow the instructions above for using water, substituting your favorite spray starch. All methods can be used as described above for shaping.
Or use this tip from Donna Leggee: When I spray starch a doily, I put it wrong side up on top of a folded towel. This lets you spray the doily thoroughly without soaking your ironing board cover, and keeps the right side of the doily from getting too flattened out.,
- Liquid Starch:
Liquid starch is used for heavier shaping and is best used with ruffled doilies where you'll need a sturdier hold, but not a permanent one. Liquid starch can be diluted with water, the more water used, the softer the finish. Use one of these two methods.
A) Dip your crochet in the starch mixture, squeeze out excess solution without twisting or wringing the piece. Shape on preferred, prepared work surface. Shape the ruffles around identical forms such as IBM cartridges, spice bottles, soda bottles turned on their side (using the necks to hold the ruffles), or wads of plastic wrap. Other items can also be used as long they're identical in shape and produce the size ruffles you want. Shape the ruffles around the form, pulling up and partially around each form, shaping the edges. Allow to dry, peridocally checking to ensure the ruffles are holding their shape.
B) Dip your crochet in the starch mixture, squeeze excess from the piece without twisting or wringing the piece. Roll up inside a clean towel, jelly roll fashion. Let the towel absorb extra moisture and when your crochet is just damp, remove from towel. Cover the piece with a handkerchief and press on the wrong side using a cool iron setting.
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Different Molds
Most patterns will recommend the mold you should use to shape your piece. However, you can always experiment with items from around your home for a particular shape. Just be sure the item used is either straight sided, or one end has a larger opening than the opposite end to allow for easy removal. If you incur difficulty in removing the crochet from the mold, insert a case knife between the plastic wrap and the mold. Work around the object, loosening the piece, then slip the mold off. If the mold has contours, you may have to dampen the area causing difficulty in order to remove the piece from the mold. Styrofoam shapes make excellent molds.
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Plastic Wraps
I use ordinary kitchen plastic wrap. There are other plastic wraps that can be used just as easily, including garbage bags, kitchen bags and produce bags. You'll find with commercial brands and even glue and water fabric stiffeners that plastic wrap particles will cling to your piece once dried. To remove these fine flakes of wrap, use a paint brush to brush them off. Another option is to use your vacuum cleaner with the brush attachment and vacuum the particles off.
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Rust Proof Pins
It's highly recommended to use rust proof pins available from your local craft shop or sewing center. Ordinary straight pins will leave rust stains on your piece. Other items to help secure your piece while drying are plastic paper clips, sock clips (for holding socks together in the pkg.), cocktail picks (plastic ones) and plastic tooth picks. If you find rust stains after using straight pins, and you have used a non-permanent fabric stiffener, try using fresh lemon juice on the spot to remove the stain.
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Molding Tips
- Assemble everything before hand.
- Have all items covered with plastic wrap before dipping your piece in fabric solution.
- Confine your work to a small area.
- Only mold one or two items at a time.
- Use a container with a spout, so excess solution can be poured back into the bottle.
- Only use as much solution as necessary for molding.
- Have paper towel and soap dampened washcloth available.
- Clean up as you work.
- Take your time!
Have everything ready to go, including letting family members know that you can not be disturbed. Cover everything with wrap before dipping your piece in any solution. Have a washcloth handy so you can wipe the solution from your hands while you work. Be sure to have rust proof pins laid out on prepared work surface so you can grab them with a minimum of effort. If using commercial brands or glue and water stiffeners, wipe the dregs from your container with a papertowel immediately after saturating your piece, and wash. Remember with plumbing it's important that excess solution be wiped from your containers with papertowel and thrown in the trash. Above all else, take your time and enjoy the process. Ensure the piece is even at all angles. It's important to take your time and be accurate. Don't let impatience ruin your work.
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Starching Board
From Elaine Ventura, CA.
- Materials:
- A thin square board approx. 26"
- 1 yard white batting, (heat resistant)
- 1 yard white Flannel or other sturdy material
With batting, cut two (2) 27 1/2" squares. Stitch around 3 sides, using a 1/2" seam allowance. Turn right side out and slip board inside. With flannel, cut one (1) 28" square and one (1) 28" x 30" rectangle. With wrong sides together, align 3 edges and stitch around, using a 1/2" seam allowance. Turn right side out and slip the covered board inside, open seam down. The extended portion of the 30" rectangle can be used as a flap to tuck inside. This allows for easy removal for laundering.
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Starching board #2
From Lenora Thompson
Purchase insulation foam boards which can be found at Home Depot or similar stores. Cover with plastic wrap and use. The boards are denser than styrofoam and works great!
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Starching Board #3
From Mendy McGee
I've made boards for starching and blocking my snowflakes and found they work with doilies as well. The boards are different than I've seen on your site. Here's how I make them.
First I drew out my blocking diagrams and photocopied them (before I got my computer and other great gadgets that go with it.)
I found some extra-heavy cardboard boxes and cut all the sides and flaps into separate pieces. Using double-sided tape, I trimmed my blocking patterns and adhered them to one side of each of the cardboard pieces, fitting as many patterns as I could on each.
Then I covered each cardboard piece with transparent window plastic (the kind you can get to staple over your windows in the winter.) I tacked the film down on the back of the cardboard with cellophane tape, then I covered all the folds and edges with wide packaging tape.
I've used these boards for 8 years now, and they still work great! Pins hold better in the cardboard than in styrofoam, I think. The big bonus is there's no plastic getting stuck on your work! And you don't need to go to the trouble of padding your boards.
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Starching Board #4
From Melody D.
For the easiest starching board in the world, I just purchase a one inch thick foam board from the craft store. They come in all sorts of lengths and widths. It's already wrapped in plastic, and I just pin my pieces right on the board. No prep needed. Over time, the plastic wrapping can become quite perforated, but it does take a LOT of pinnings, and you can recover the board with new plastic down the road.
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Starching Board #5
From Barbara M. of My Lady's Victorian Crochet
By using a peg board purchased from your local hardware store and using stainless steel nails that fit securely in the holes, you can make a permanent shaping board for a professional finish. Place a nail in the center hole with a string attached. Measure the length of string to match the diameter needed and with a chalk marker make the desired size of the circles. Use latex paint to make the circles permanent. These guides will help keep your projects even and perfect each time.
