I believe that a good pattern and a correct work should give a piece which needs minimal blocking (if not zero). This does not affect the 3D pieces, they simply need to be stiffened.
I work tatted jewelry and I try to make all my pieces that they are stable, lay flat by them selves, no twist. This is maybe the reason I preffer not to make any decorative picots. I do not like to punish the ones wearing my pieces with long instructions how to wash, stiffen the bracelet or the earrings. It is not funny. A short "shower with a gentle soap, arrange the piece to lay flat and let dry it should be enough". And yes, I use a nano-spray, a non allergic one, to avoid that dirt gets into the fibers. It is working, the simple gesture of cleaning the piece with a humid cloth does miracles after this.
I am always asked what I use. Nothing would be the answer.
But since I needed to make some roses, I searched for a solution to stiffen them. No one likes a wedding bouquet with tatted flowers to loose shape and get dull colours is also not something I want to have.
I tested some products.
One captured my attention: the Deco Festiger from Hobby Line. It smells like the white glue, but it has a different behaviour. I aplied it with no dilution, I loved what I got with my polyester thread: stiffness, perfect finish, no change of the colours.
Sue Hanson was wondering how it is working. There you go, Sue. This is just for you.
I used all the fibers I had in the house. I applied the stiffener on the right half only, so you can have the possibility to compare, no matter the angle or the light I have when I take the pictures. Please, do not criticize the pieces, they are tests taken from my flops box.
As I said, the stiffener was applied only on the right side of the pieces.
For the pieces with beads, I cleaned immediatelly the beads with a humid clean cloth. I removed also with this cloth the excess. Except one piece, the red and black flower, just to show you the effect.
After 2 hours in the sun (wanted to rush the process), there you have the result:
The Lizbeth 20 was a bit darker, but it might be not completelly dry. No dull colour. No change at all for the Lizbeth 40. The white thread got a better aspect, without loosing the texture.
The Anchor thread with the beads looks pretty "healthy". And i assure you, the chains do not lay.
The Polyester thread is perfect!
The Brildor 15, also a polyester thread got a beautiful body.
No change at all for the metallic thread.
And maybe you can see the shine of the film coating the pieces.
They are rigid enough but yet, flexible.
You can treat them with another coat of finish. I did not have it. For small pieces like earrings and pendants, it is perfect, in my humble opinion. 3D pieces, for sure.
Hope it helps.
Have fun. Tatting...
