Keeping glitter on costumes?

Daimona · 03-14-2010, 11:44 AM

I bought several meters of a beautiful printed chiffon with glitter (not glitterdot fabric, but tiny bits..) app. a month ago, but it acts like the glitter fairy and shed its glitter every time I touch it (or even think about it!).

I got a tip that said spraying it with hair spray could work, but I'm afraid the fabric itself will become sticky and perhaps ruined..

Do any of you have experience with this kind of problem – or do you have ideas how I may treat it to prevent all the glitter of falling off?

maria_harlequin · 03-14-2010, 12:53 PM

Hate to break it to you but nothing really works

Or at least nothing I tried and I own a bit of pesky glitter fabrics. The good thing is that even though there's heavy shedding, you're not going to lose all of the glitter in the long run.

Daimona · 03-14-2010, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maria_harlequin

Hate to break it to you but nothing really works

Or at least nothing I tried and I own a bit of pesky glitter fabrics.

Sorry about that.. What were the methods that didn't work out, then?

My fabric will be fine without the glitter as well, so it isn't crucial, but the effect on stage would be so nice if I could make it stay - or at least shed a bit slower..

Anala · 03-14-2010, 01:33 PM

A friend suggested taking the garment outside on a dry (low humidity) day. Give it a good shake to remove the glitter that is already loose, then spray the garment lightly and evenly with a spray starch. Can't remember if she said light or heavy starch, so I would start with light . . .

hope this helps. I think it sort of worked on a top I had.

Regards,

Anala

maria_harlequin · 03-14-2010, 02:27 PM

The most ambitious method I tried was using some type of silk screen medium. I bought this silk screen medium that you mix with glitter to paint glitter on your clothes. Mixing it with glitter and painting it on fabric works fine and the glitter sparkles...so I tried painting it on my glitter fabric. But the glitter turned completely dull

I don't know if it was the glitter or the medium...but painting on that much medium on a piece of fabric could be a daunting task!

Shanazel · 03-16-2010, 02:19 AM

If you are really desparate, you could try using some of the spray fixative artists use on charcoal. Try it on a scrap fabric first to see how it affects the fabric.

Ariadne · 03-16-2010, 04:59 AM

I've used that on fabric. If you do make sure that it's a well ventelated area and don't touch the fabric for a bit, it will be reeeally sticky. I think it might also dull the sparkles though, not sure. Definatly patch test.

Shanazel · 03-16-2010, 07:59 AM

The operative word is "desperate." I wouldn't use it if anything else worked; the stuff I have is an acrylic spray.

03-14-2010, 11:44 AM	#1 (permalink)
Daimona Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Norway Posts: 807	Keeping glitter on costumes? I bought several meters of a beautiful printed chiffon with glitter (not glitterdot fabric, but tiny bits..) app. a month ago, but it acts like the glitter fairy and shed its glitter every time I touch it (or even think about it!). I got a tip that said spraying it with hair spray could work, but I'm afraid the fabric itself will become sticky and perhaps ruined.. Do any of you have experience with this kind of problem – or do you have ideas how I may treat it to prevent all the glitter of falling off? __________________ -- Daim.

03-14-2010, 12:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
maria_harlequin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 960	Hate to break it to you but nothing really works Or at least nothing I tried and I own a bit of pesky glitter fabrics. The good thing is that even though there's heavy shedding, you're not going to lose all of the glitter in the long run. Last edited by maria_harlequin; 03-14-2010 at 01:09 PM..

03-14-2010, 01:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
Anala Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mid Atlantic, USA Posts: 704	A friend suggested taking the garment outside on a dry (low humidity) day. Give it a good shake to remove the glitter that is already loose, then spray the garment lightly and evenly with a spray starch. Can't remember if she said light or heavy starch, so I would start with light . . . hope this helps. I think it sort of worked on a top I had. Regards, Anala __________________ The Practical Dancer

03-14-2010, 02:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
maria_harlequin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 960	The most ambitious method I tried was using some type of silk screen medium. I bought this silk screen medium that you mix with glitter to paint glitter on your clothes. Mixing it with glitter and painting it on fabric works fine and the glitter sparkles...so I tried painting it on my glitter fabric. But the glitter turned completely dull I don't know if it was the glitter or the medium...but painting on that much medium on a piece of fabric could be a daunting task!

03-16-2010, 02:19 AM	#6 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 8,397	If you are really desparate, you could try using some of the spray fixative artists use on charcoal. Try it on a scrap fabric first to see how it affects the fabric.

03-16-2010, 04:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ariadne Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 547	I've used that on fabric. If you do make sure that it's a well ventelated area and don't touch the fabric for a bit, it will be reeeally sticky. I think it might also dull the sparkles though, not sure. Definatly patch test.

03-16-2010, 07:59 AM	#8 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 8,397	The operative word is "desperate." I wouldn't use it if anything else worked; the stuff I have is an acrylic spray.