stiffening felt bows?
Hi all, can someone tell me the best way to make very structural stiff felt bows please? Also not quite sure which stiffener is the best to use on felt, cheers, Kylie.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sharon Panozzo -
To get a good stiff bow you must really start with good quality felt. If you are using cheaper felt it will not have the body you need without using tons of stiffener. The other option is to wire it. This gives it structure and you will be able to form it creatively.
I have used both the lacquer based and the gel (more environmentally and people friendly) and either will work if you adjust your mixing ratios properly.
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Permalink Reply by Kylie Gould
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Thankyou for the tips, I am a newbie working with felt, do you make your bow first and then stiffen or do you stiffen felt and form bow before it dries? Cheers, Kylie
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Permalink Reply by edith f
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well if wiring do that first after you have suitably steamed or stretched the felt with felt stiffener! then it is easier to manipulate the shape once you done this, use steam or warm water to dampen and shape the bow as you wish, pin into place, leave to dry and complete!
all the best --- we each have different techniques but this is the one my beginners seem to understand better
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Permalink Reply by Sharon Panozzo
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I agree with Edith. If you decide to wire the bow steam, stretch, stiffen, then wire. If you are not going to wire you can stiffen before or after but after it is more difficult to get uniform stiffness.
