Doily Sugar Starch

Submitted by Bonnie Young

"I have quite a few doilies I have collected over the years. Some are vintage and so beautiful This is the recipe I use to stiffen them. It works great"

 

• Ready In: 15mins
• Ingredients: 2
• Yields: 1-2 doilies

ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water

directions

1. Put sugar and water in a small pan. Over low heat cook and stir mixture constantly until it becomes clear. DO NOT LET IT BOIL! When mixture is completely clear remove from heat and cool.
2. Next dampen the crocheted item in fresh water and pat out excess moisture with a towel. Then dip it in the cooled sugar mixture and gently squeeze out any excess liquid.
3. If it's a doily simple lay it flat and reshape and let it dry. For a basket, take a bowl that is the desired size, turn it upside down and place the crocheted basket over the bowl to dry.

Reviews

[thefeltedladybug]

Since finding this recipe, it's the only one I use to starch my crochet and tatting projects (mandalas, doilies, ornaments). The only thing I would add is to make sure to let your items dry on a hard surface, otherwise, because it's so sticky, paper towels or bath towel bits will stick to your items once dried.

 

[Dortha H.]

I always wondered how that worked. In our old house there was a box of starch. The box was wooded!!! We us that for our petticoat and an open umbrella.

 

[Kimberly S.]

Love this! Thank you so much. My grandmother also used this technique, and I remember as a child wanting something sweet, but being denied, so I would go around her house and suck on the doilies to satisfy my sweet tooth! LOL Hey, I was young - 14 or so (I was actually four or five! LOL)

 

[Aunt Tess 1]

I love doilies! I have a vague memory of Mother and Grandmother stiffening them with sugar but I didn't remember how they did it. Thank you so much!!