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Post by pamd on Feb 10, 2012 16:06:51 GMT
flowers1 by pamd8, on Flickr I made these flowers a while ago, but being cobwebby, they were so floppy that I didn't really care that much for them. So, when I stopped by the craft store the other day, I saw some "clearcote acrylic sealer" that said it could be used on silk as well as lots of other things, so I thought I would give it a try. I think it worked really well to slightly stiffen the cobweb flowers. We'll see how it holds up. Oh, I didn't like it as much on the heavier, darker blue flowers. You can see the little white spots left by the spray. I'm thinking if I had "massaged" it in a little that would disappear, maybe.
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Post by lyn on Feb 10, 2012 23:56:24 GMT
Might be a daft idea, but.... How about hanging the flowers upside down, so that they are not flopping around, then use a high quality ('because I'm worth it' type) invisible hair spray and leave them upside down to dry. Outdoors of course!
The least floppy cobweb flower I've made was last year. I think it's because the cobweb 'petals' are made in one piece and bunched up and anchored by the stem (that was wet felted to the back at the same time as making the petals so that stem and petals are one) and the felt ball centre. Rather like when you take a cheap, flimsy, paper tissue hankie and poke the centre into your fist (like a magician does) - it then becomes quite firm and upstanding.
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Post by Shepherdess on Feb 11, 2012 0:12:35 GMT
That's great, its very pretty. You will have to let us know how it holds up. Could you shield the parts that don't need it so you don't have to massage it in?
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Post by MTRuth on Feb 11, 2012 2:30:03 GMT
Is it sticky at all? It looks good to me. Lyn, have you tried the hair spray?
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Post by pamd on Feb 11, 2012 3:20:57 GMT
Ruth, it's not sticky at all, and still very flexible. You can bend the petals in half or roll them up, but they spring back to the shape that I let the spray dry in, and each petal is still a separate entity, because I separated them when they were drying.
Lynn, these petals were each made separately and then wet felted to the stem.
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Post by lyn on Feb 11, 2012 8:33:41 GMT
Ruth, no, I haven't tried the hairspray, just thinking out loud really.
So, here's another thinking out loud idea - has anyone tried mixing in a bit of laundry starch with the soapy water whilst felting?
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Post by zed on Feb 11, 2012 9:56:32 GMT
They're so pretty, pam So is yours, Lyn I've only tried flowers a couple of times, one was really cobwebby, but had silk hankie on the front, so wasn't floppy. I love the pink one, Pam
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Post by karen on Feb 12, 2012 20:54:37 GMT
Both flowers are so pretty, has anyone tried a tiny bit of fabric stiffener on them, i was just thinking of a light spray when there set, or would that make them to stiff ?
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Post by MTRuth on Feb 13, 2012 1:18:42 GMT
I've used spray starch to make silk paper. I think it would work if you made your flower and then ironed it in with one of those itty bitty irons.
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Post by lyn on Feb 13, 2012 9:54:09 GMT
Ruth, every time I see one of those teensy irons I hanker after having one! When I see one at a good price I just know I'm going home with one.
I'm not sure if I've shown this photo before - apologies if I have - it's a flower my daughter made several years ago. She attached a brooch back to it and sold it at a craft fair.
Anyway, the point of showing it is that it's a cobwebby-type flower, because when held up the light shows through most of it, but it's needle-felted. And by a clever bit of needle-felting my daughter shaped the petals and they held the shape beautifully without any need for sprays etc.
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