Crystallizing salt? What's that? Can I do it too?
I found this salt sculpture activity at the Exploratorium. It seems to be the right thing.
Make a supersaturated salt solution, put cotton string in and let the water evaporate. Sounds good but how to get the bowl shape? Put the doily between two bowls the same size and fill the void with the solution? Pin the doily to a plastic bowl, weight and submerse in solution? Place the doily over an overturned bowl placed in a tub and bathe with solution? I don't know but I want a couple of these for gift baskets and to hold glass ornaments for Christmas. That should be enough time to figure it out.
Wow! What can I say---your blog is a truly amazing resource of soooooo many varied and interesting sites. I've spent hours tonight looking at all your old posts, followed a few links and now my bottom is sorta numb from sitting so long but my brain is racing from all I've seen. Much thanks, keep up the great work. Hilly
ReplyDeleteI found you at the Angry Chicken. What a great blog you have!
ReplyDeleteMy Mother crochetted and used to make little baskets and bowls very similar to this one. I love it. You've brought back very nice memories.
If you have time, please stop by and say "hello" and play Cookie's Treasure Hunt. I'm giving away one of my collages.
Love your blog! Thanks for all the leads. My MIL always made these, crocheted her own doilies, put them over bowls and used starch to stiffen them.
ReplyDeleteI've stiffened crochet snowflakes with diluted elmer's glue and a product called "Stiffy" (I believe Elmer's is also called PVA glue). Some have used a sugar solution or starch but it all works the same: Saturate the item with the solution, remove excess and shape. Allow to dry. Carefully remove.
ReplyDeleteMartha Steward made doily bowls this week on her show and draped the item over a bowl for shaping.
Tobey
www.dustbunnys.wordpress.com
What an amazing bowl! I am so awed by the creativity behind such magnificent creations.
ReplyDeleteI so want to make one of these. I just bough 65 vintage doilies. eek!
ReplyDeleteDid you ever make any of these?
ReplyDeleteNo, Kim, I haven't. The closest I've come were crocheted snowflakes and I used acrylic medium to shape and protect them. It's the idea of a doily bowl that I like. Cute gift presentation but I am unsure of the best stiffening agent to use and am just putting ideas out there.
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