Rules and 10 best ways to starch a napkin with your own hands
Handmade, openwork weaving from natural threads is a kind of applied art. Every woman can learn it. Such products serve as interior decoration, give it a unique charm. They have a significant drawback: they get dirty from dust, wrinkle, lose their shape. How to deal with it has long been known. To do this, they are impregnated with a protective composition of starch. How to starch a towel properly?
Why is it necessary
Crochet towels have an openwork weave. For this, cotton threads of different thicknesses are used. When weaving, the products wrinkle and get dirty from the hands. The difference between pure cotton towels is that they do not hold their shape.Twisted threads with artificial synthetic fibers are more rigid, do not wrinkle, wash well. Silk threads, mouliné threads are similar to cotton threads in their ability to retain their shape. But they do not absorb water well and therefore do not starch.Woolen products with an openwork pattern are not subject to the procedure.
The starching process involves creating a protective shell for the openwork fabric, giving it and maintaining its shape.
Properties of starch mortar:
- invisible;
- non-hygroscopic;
- moisture resistant.
Dark perforated products made of cotton threads do not starch: an impregnation in the form of a white film will be noticeable on them. Potato and rice starch is used. Sugar syrup, PVA glue can be used as a substitute.
Advantages and disadvantages
Starched and knitted items don't get dirty longer, wash faster and better. Crochet makes it possible to create the finest patterns, which can be seen and appreciated when the thing retains its shape, in contact with it. Starch in these products is necessary.
The disadvantage of starch impregnation is arduousness. The process has technological features, without which the result will be unsatisfactory.
Preparing for the procedure
Starching consists of several steps:
- Preparation of an openwork thing.
- Preparation of the impregnation.
- Starching.
- Drying.
- Ironing.
Each period requires strict compliance with the conditions.
How to prepare a product
Clothes are washed before starching, if necessary they are bleached. Depending on the percentage of openwork and the thickness of the thread, they are washed by hand or in a typewriter, in a protective case. Let the water flow out without wringing. If things are clean, they are soaked in warm water for 10 minutes. Cotton fibers must be well saturated with water, otherwise the starch solution will not be able to penetrate the fibers. As a result, fishnet products will not hold their shape well.
How to prepare a starch composition
Starch paste should be distinguished from jelly. Kleister is a glue used for upholstery and decoration work.When preparing it, the starch slurry is diluted with boiling water, but not boiled. Kissel is a jelly prepared with food additives and consumed as a drink.
The product obtained with water alone is used for starching. Kissel is cooked from starch and water, which delicate things are impregnated with. The mixture obtained must have a homogeneous consistency without lumps. Otherwise, the products will starch unevenly and dried jelly pieces will be visible on the patterns.
The method of obtaining jelly for starching does not differ from the preparation of a food product. First, a slurry is prepared: starch is mixed with a small amount of warm water. It is necessary to use the composition immediately, because after a few minutes the starch will precipitate.
Most of the water is brought to a boil. A suspension of starch and water is poured into it in a thin stream, with constant stirring of the liquid. The jelly is cooked over medium heat, stirring continuously, until bubbles appear. The cooking process ends with intensive stirring and removal from the fire. Kissel has a viscous, translucent consistency.
The liquid should not boil violently and for a long time, otherwise the jelly will lose its viscosity. So that no film forms on the surface during cooling, the finished composition continues to be stirred from time to time. Use the hot composition for better impregnation.
The concentration (water/starch ratio) depends on the type of product and the destination of the starch. The amount of impregnating compound is determined by the volume and weight of the product. For napkins, 1-2 liters of ready-made jelly is enough. It takes 7 to 10 liters to starch a curtain or a tablecloth.It is impractical to cook such a volume. Prepare the composition according to the proportions for 1 liter.
In addition to potato, corn starch is used. The dry matter content is doubled. The rest of the technology does not change.
Weak
The lowest concentration is required for items such as curtains, tablecloths and napkins. The purpose of starching is to keep the shape to a minimum, to avoid contamination. Openwork objects laid out on a fixed surface, hanging on a suspension do not wrinkle, the pattern is clearly visible on them.
For napkins, jelly is prepared from the ratio of 1 tablespoon of potato starch per 1 liter of water. Pour the cornstarch into a glass of lukewarm water and mix well. The rest of the water is brought to a boil, the suspension is added. As soon as the first bubbles appear, remove from heat.
Impregnation for large items is prepared differently. 10 liters of water will require 10 times more liquid jelly. Take 2 liters of water of the required volume. Mix 10 tablespoons of starch in 500 milliliters and infuse in the remaining 1.5 liters of water. Boiling jelly is poured in a thin stream into 7 liters of water heated to 70 degrees, stirring intensively.
The readiness of the impregnation solution is determined by feel: the liquid should be slightly slippery and have no lumps.
Mean
Kissel of medium concentration is used for starching shawls, scarves, blouses, dresses. We use things by changing their form. A higher percentage of starch gives products resistance to crushing, a thickened protective layer on the patterns. Impregnation is prepared using the same technology, multiplying the amount of starch by 2.
Strong
The highest degree of impregnation is necessary if an openwork product is to retain a given shape, for example, in the form of an artificial flower, a decorative vase. To obtain the highest hardness, the amount of starch is multiplied by 3 compared to the low degree. The cooking mode remains unchanged.
How to starch correctly
The starching process begins immediately after the preparation of the jelly. The higher the temperature of the liquid, the better the cotton fibers will be impregnated with the starch composition. After washing, a tied towel or a well-moistened towel is immersed in a container with jelly.
The liquid should completely cover the product. If it is impossible to straighten the patterns, you should carefully mix the impregnation with a napkin. Leave on for 5-7 minutes. Take out to dry. Thin laces are arranged on a non-absorbent horizontal surface. It is impregnated with a sponge soaked in jelly, after which it is dried with an iron.
Bulky things starch in basins, buckets. After soaking in a gelled solution, the perforated products are kneaded and mixed to obtain a uniform impregnation. Medium and strong impregnation technologies are performed in the same sequence. It's impossible to overexpose things in a starch mixture. The cooling solution will deposit unevenly on the fabric, which will affect the appearance of the weave.
Other methods
There are other ways to improve the look of fishnet patterns. In addition to starch, you can give strength to the form using other means.
Add shiny salt
Salt crystals dissolved in jelly will give the patterns a snow-white shine.To achieve this result, a teaspoon of salt is boiled in the main volume of water. Then the starch slurry is poured in and brought to a boil. If the volume of water is more than 1 liter, the salt is increased proportionally.
Add sugar for extra strength
Sugar syrup after cooling has a high viscosity. If you cook jelly with sugar, then with the same concentration of starch the openwork product will hold its shape better. Sugar is boiled in the main volume of water until it is completely dissolved and a syrup is formed.
For 0.7 liters of water you will need 100 grams of sugar. The syrup is boiled on a thin thread. Readiness is checked by color (transparent, slightly yellow) and a drop on a cold surface (keeps its shape without spreading). A starch slurry is poured into the boiling syrup in a thin stream, stirring vigorously. Stir and remove from heat. The particularity of the coating attracts insects: flies, bees, wasps, ants.
Adding talc and borax
Talc is a fine, hygroscopic powder. Insoluble in water. Adding talc to starch gives finished products extra stiffness.
Borax is a colorless white powder with a gray, green and yellow tint. It dissolves in water at a temperature of 60 degrees. Used to create oil films as a hardener. When starching, a solution of 1 teaspoon of borax and 50 milliliters of water is added to the finished impregnation. Once dry, the product takes on an indelible shape.
Starch-free, with gelatin and PVA glue
You can save the shape of the lace with gelatin or PVA glue. Instant gelatin is prepared according to the instructions, increasing the volume of water.For strong fixation, it is taken 1.5 times, for medium - 2 times, for weak - 2.5 times more than indicated. It is best to use vegetable gelatin (agar-agar). A damp towel is soaked in jelly for 2-3 minutes.
PVA glue is dissolved in water in a ratio of 1: 2, until a thin homogeneous paste is obtained. Immerse a damp cloth in it for 30 seconds.
With milk
The milk jelly gives a stronger, whitening finish. Cooking is similar to the water method. A towel starched in this manner may arouse a cat's interest.
Dry method
Fine openwork fabrics are starched without jelly preparation. Spread a damp towel on an ironing board, sprinkle with dry starch. Cover with gauze and iron on the "silk" mode.
Aerosol
Special product containing starch solution. The dry product is laid out on a sheet of paper on an ironing board. Spray several times at intervals of several minutes so that the fabric has time to soak up. Iron through gauze with a hot iron.
Tips and tricks for drying and ironing
Starchy foods require special drying and ironing conditions so as not to damage the shape. They cannot be dried in frost and in the sun, and should not be twisted strongly after impregnation. Products impregnated with low and medium concentration potato starch jelly are dried flat on a hygroscopic horizontal surface or on a rope. In a semi-damp state, they are ironed with a hot iron through cheesecloth until completely dry. When heavily soaked, things should dry in the shape they should be, without the use of an iron.
Adding salt to the starch does not change anything during the drying and ironing process.Candied products are dried in a wet state through cheesecloth with a hot iron. Dairy impregnation requires ironing with a hot iron through cheesecloth.
Things soaked in gelatin and PVA glue are not ironed. To shape and maintain their shape, they are dried at room temperature as they should be. For example, a napkin in the form of a vase is laid out on a base (bottle, glass). Smooth out all wrinkles and leave on for 24 hours.
Rules for taking care of starched things
Weakly starched fishnet products can be rolled up, additionally ironed with a hot iron to improve the appearance. Do not use steam mode, spray water. The starch crust on the patterns will break off, ruining the appearance.
The higher concentration of starch creates a strong shape. Repeated ironing of such things is undesirable. The coating may crumble in places. Dresses, blouses are stored in a closet, on a hanger. Starched coatings are used for decorative and household purposes. As they get dirty, wash and repeat starching.