How to starch a skirt?

For our grandmothers, starching collars or knitted napkins after washing was a common procedure. Now there are special compositions with starch on sale for processing various materials, but for a modern woman this process is still unfamiliar, and therefore a little scary. Step by step we will introduce you to all stages of the work. So, how to starch a skirt at home?

Rules for starching a skirt

Starching clothes is easy. It is simply rinsed in an aqueous solution of the product. During the drying process, starch forms a thin film on things, which partially penetrates the fibers of the material. The result is a dense, slightly crispy fabric that retains its shape. It is difficult for dirt to penetrate the fiber structure; all dirt remains on the surface and is easily washed off.

Important! Starch, absorbed into the fabric, clogs the gap between the warp and weft threads.Air exchange is disrupted, the skin cannot breathe fully. That is why only part of an item or costume is always starched - the collar, lace, chef's hat.

Fabrics made of tulle, mesh, as well as cotton and linen can be treated with starch to create more volume. HThe lighter the fabric structure, the more successful the result will be. In this process the main thing is to maintain all proportions and prepare a homogeneous solution without lumps.

Depending on the type of fabric and the desired result, different types of starch composition are prepared and applied. Conventionally, we will designate them as soft, medium and hard methods of influencing the tissue:

• for the soft method, half or a teaspoon of starch is diluted in 1 liter of water. It is suitable for chiffon, organza, cambric, tulle, chintz;
• for medium hardness, take 1 tbsp. l. starch per liter of water. This method is best suited for collars, cuffs, bows, lace, table linen, silk, linen;
• for rigid fixation, prepare a solution of 2 tbsp. l. starch per liter of water. To make the petticoat shine, you can additionally add 2 tbsp to the paste. l. salt. This type of fixation will hold the necessary fullness of a skirt or dress made of tulle, organza, mesh, or natural fabrics very well and for a long time. You can even use thick knitwear.

Preparatory activities

The starch solution is applied only to pre-washed items.. Clean items can become dusty even after being stored for a short time. Sometimes the products show various stains or yellowing. In order to get rid of them, the skirt should be washed using special products. Grease stains are easily removed by dishwashing liquid previously applied to the fabric.Yellow areas can be removed with hydrogen peroxide.

First, let's carefully examine the product with which we will work. Its fabric must be absolutely clean. This is important because the starch solution, if it gets on dirt or dust, will change the white color and give it a yellow or gray tint. It will be possible to get rid of it only after the starch is completely removed.

Make sure that there are no streaks left on the surface of the fabric after rinsing the product. Residues of washing powder or gel can also change the color of the skirt.

Prepare the solution correctly

1. Place 2 tbsp in a glass or other convenient container. l. starch;
2. add a little cold water (a third or half a glass);
3. mix everything well until completely dissolved - there should be no lumps;
4. then heat a liter of water to hot temperature;
5. Carefully pour the contents of the glass into it in a thin stream, stirring constantly;
6. immediately after pouring, place the saucepan with the solution on the fire and heat for several minutes, continuing to stir;
7. when the composition becomes transparent, remove the container from the stove and, if lumps have formed, strain them through gauze or a clean sieve;
8. Next, start working with the fabric.

Step-by-step instructions for starching a skirt

After all the preparatory measures, proceed directly to the procedure:

• fill a basin with cold water;
• dilute the resulting solution in it;
• place the skirt in water so that the solution completely covers it;
• rinse in starchy liquid so that the prepared composition completely saturates it;
• remove the item from the water, squeeze it lightly without twisting;
• lay out and straighten the skirt on a horizontal surface or hanger;
• let it dry in this position;
• iron the product damp or dampen it already on the ironing board.

Important! If you need to starch a white petticoat, first add a little blue to cold water, place it well, and only then pour in the solution.

Tips for the hostess

Do not completely dip a fluffy skirt made of several layers of tulle (mesh) into the solution. All layers treated with starch will create excess volume. Leave the top layers in their natural, fluid state so they can respond to movement and wind. Treat several lower layers with starch mixture; their volume will be sufficient to create the desired fluffiness.

You will get a very airy and beautiful skirt if you apply the mixture to each layer of fabric separately with a wide paint brush. This process is more labor-intensive than rinsing with starch, but the result is more interesting.

Ironing of starched fabrics is carried out on both sides. First they work on the back side, then on the front part.

With the rigid fixation method, let the skirt dry completely and only then iron it to avoid the appearance of yellow streaks when exposed to high temperatures..

If starch sticks to the soleplate of the iron, wipe it with turpentine. Silk fabrics can be made to keep their shape using gelatin or silicate glue, a teaspoon of which is diluted in 5 liters of water for soaking a petticoat or other things.