From: Amy Anderson
My website: http://modpodgerocksblog.com
Subject: Stiffy Balls Gone Very Wrong
Stiffy is a product used to stiffen fabric and yarn. One of the cool things you can do with is make yarn “balls” for a table centerpiece.
You do this by blowing up balloons and wrapping yarn around them that has been soaked in Stiffy. Let the yarn dry and then pop the balloon – the yarn ball should remain! One photo shows what yarn ball should look like, and the other shows my yarn balls. The balloons never really set free, and there was a gross crusty mess that flaked everywhere. It got so bad that one of the yarn balls threw itself off the drying rack!
Stiffy Yarn Balls – 1
Me – 0
I’m trying again soon though. I won’t be defeated by yarn balls.
Thank you for the post!!! It was a wonderful disaster.
I thought you were going for a skull and doing a great job. You sure its a failure?n (the one on the right)
i had this same problem! i wanted to make them to hang in the tree in my kids room at the library! by the time i had how many i wanted i think the score ended up more like this:
stiffy yarn balls-28
me-5
I use sugar starch to make mine. Have never had an issue.
Love the bit about Stiffy Ball suicide off the drying rack. I remember making these in elementary school with white glue and sparkles. What a mess! and the balloon bits stuck then too, not a good look at all. I presented the results proudly to my mother to hang on the Xmas tree, but it didn’t last in the ornament box for the next year. I think the glass balls had a rumble and offed the string ball. It was never the same after that. One of many childhood craftfails. Which makes me wonder: why do these craft “classics” keep reappearing when they clearly are bound to fail and make kids and crafters everywhere decide they aren’t “good at art.” It’s a craft mystery…
What about spraying cooking spray on the balloons before wrapping the yarn around them? (to act as a ‘release’)
I have heard what Nella suggested about the spray on the balloons. If I try it gonna get the smallest balloon I can find so if it is a fail.. it is a small one.. :)
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