An easy tip to harden crochet jewellery
My favourite items to make when crocheting are jewellery and small accessories. I wanted to apply a substance that would make my finished products permanently hard even when washed, and something that would not take a long process to do. There is always the traditional cornstarch or sugar process but nothing is wrong with trying another alternative especially if it is easier and it works!
In the beginning, I tried using clear nail polish. I would apply it on unto onto the back of my crochet pieces. Due to the strong scent, I had to leave it for out a few days before I packaged it. I would use bobbin pins and pin it onto a yoga mat material to shape some of the uneven areas. The nail polish process was not so handy for last minute orders however it did the trick and took about 10 minutes to dry. Although the piece came out sturdy, it did not hold it's shape when it was bent. This is something to consider as the crochet item can bend if you store them in a box full of other accessories.
I then had this crazy idea of using Krazy Glue... Bad idea if you want to form your jewellery using the bobbin pins unless you plan on struggling to get them out of your crochet piece. Although the content is easily distributed, it creates a rough scaly texture when dried. It dries extremely quickly and it is really hard however you run the risk of it cracking if it bends. Another downside is that its content is little for the price, compared to other alternatives. I would not recommend using it if you want to apply it to more than one small item. Although I do use it if I want to hold two light separate pieces together like the string on this boat crochet earring for Anguilla day Fashions.
I came across this product called fray check. This is by far the best content that I've ever used to harden small crochet items. Its liquid content is usually applied on fabrics to prevent it from fraying. When I applied this to my clothing, the edges would be a bit sturdy so curiosity allowed me to kill the content onto my crochet accessories. It was easily distributed because of its liquid form, but you have to be careful when squeezing it onto your crochet piece so that it doesn't become saturated. I use bobbin pins to mould it and left it for about 15 minutes. It was hard as expected.
I love using this process because:
Clear Nail Polish
In the beginning, I tried using clear nail polish. I would apply it on unto onto the back of my crochet pieces. Due to the strong scent, I had to leave it for out a few days before I packaged it. I would use bobbin pins and pin it onto a yoga mat material to shape some of the uneven areas. The nail polish process was not so handy for last minute orders however it did the trick and took about 10 minutes to dry. Although the piece came out sturdy, it did not hold it's shape when it was bent. This is something to consider as the crochet item can bend if you store them in a box full of other accessories.
Crazy glue
I then had this crazy idea of using Krazy Glue... Bad idea if you want to form your jewellery using the bobbin pins unless you plan on struggling to get them out of your crochet piece. Although the content is easily distributed, it creates a rough scaly texture when dried. It dries extremely quickly and it is really hard however you run the risk of it cracking if it bends. Another downside is that its content is little for the price, compared to other alternatives. I would not recommend using it if you want to apply it to more than one small item. Although I do use it if I want to hold two light separate pieces together like the string on this boat crochet earring for Anguilla day Fashions.Fray check
I came across this product called fray check. This is by far the best content that I've ever used to harden small crochet items. Its liquid content is usually applied on fabrics to prevent it from fraying. When I applied this to my clothing, the edges would be a bit sturdy so curiosity allowed me to kill the content onto my crochet accessories. It was easily distributed because of its liquid form, but you have to be careful when squeezing it onto your crochet piece so that it doesn't become saturated. I use bobbin pins to mould it and left it for about 15 minutes. It was hard as expected.I love using this process because:
- It has a nice mild scent (so I can package it within a day)
- It's transparent when dried
- It's easily distributed
- It is sturdy and holds its shape even when it is bent, ( the nail polish or crazy glue did not do this)
- It Dries fast
- Doesn't wash out!
- No mixing procedures
- The bottle is small but can be used a couple of times on many small crochets pieces
I got mine for 1.86 dollars when I was living in the Caribbean (Anguilla). I notice that it is quite expensive in Europe and the American market but you can check out different sites to compare prices.
I'm curious about trying other alternatives. All three alternative can be used but at this moment I prefer to use Fray Check on my crochet pieces. Give this one a try and when you do don't forget to tell me what you think. in the comment section.
You cab see more of my accessories here
Comments
Post a Comment