How Can I Make Starch to Stiffen Doilies?

Starch is a refined corn product first developed in the 1800s. Among its uses, cornstarch makes a helpful household staple in its ability to stiffen fabric when diluted in water. This is especially handy when stiffening doilies for crisper linens as home decor accents or for stiffer doilies needed in craft projects. Instead of using a spray starch that contains additional chemicals, make a homemade liquid starch that is eco-friendly and economical. In addition, making it yourself allows for adjustments to the mixture to create a custom desired stiffness to the doilies.

Things You'll Need

• Distilled water
• Glass measuring cup
• Measuring spoon
• Starch
• Spoon
• Spray bottle
• Iron

Instructions

1. Pour 2 cups of the distilled water into the glass measuring cup. Distilled water allows longer storage of the mixture than regular tap water and does not contain minerals that may stain your doilies.

2. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. of the starch and stir until it dissolves completely in the water. The water will have an opaque appearance.

3. Pour the liquid starch mixture into the spray bottle and place the lid on tightly. A spray bottle with a fine mist option on its nozzle will work best.

4. Test the liquid starch for the desired stiffness by laying a doily on a washable surface and spraying the doily until it is thoroughly wet. Lay the doily flat until it is dry.

5. Add more starch, 1 tbsp. at a time, to the mixture if the doily is not the desired stiffness.

6. Press the doilies. After the doilies have dried, you may press them with an iron. Use the cotton setting on the iron and lay a towel over the doilies to prevent burning or causing shiny areas.

Tips & Warnings

• Mix up large batches of liquid starch in a bowl to stiffen larger doilies. Dip the doilies into the liquid and then allow them to drip-dry on a clothesline.

• If you want the stiffness to be more permanent, add 2 to 3 tbsp. of craft glue to the mixture and dip the doily until completely saturated. Then lay the doily out flat to dry.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Crafters Love Crafts: There Are So Many Ways to Stiffen Crochet