Skip to main content

Banner Sponsors

Tedsby - Handmade teddy bears and other cute stuffed animals. Hundreds of teddy artists from all over the world and thousands of OOAK creations.
Teddy Bear Academy - Online teddy bear making classes

clare14 Country Bears
England
Posts: 3,066

I normally use fraycheck/fraystoppa, but read somewhere that some artists use watered down PVA to stop edges from fraying.

If you do, what measure of PVA to water and how do you apply it??   Does it make the fabric stiff??

I'm spending a fortune on fray check etc, would love to try this!!   Or any alternatives!!!      bear_wub

Many thanks!!   :hug:

Deb Upstate New York
Posts: 1,650

What's PVA?

clare14 wrote:

I'm spending a fortune on fray check etc, would love to try this!!   Or any alternatives!!!

Me too!  (And Fraycheck smells BAD!)

clare14 Country Bears
England
Posts: 3,066

Hi Deb,

It's like that white glue they use at school? 

bear_original

Dilu Posts: 8,574

Are you fray checking everything?

If so Why?

I only fray check areas that will get a lot of manipulation in the final processes....unless its gollies- I fraycheck the fingers....

And i guess on some miniatures, depending on the fabrics.....but gollygeewhiz, i can see why you are going broke fast if you are fray checking everything and you make bigguns.....yikes!


I would try white school glue, over here we call it Elmers, 50% with water....and the hair dryer to speed up the process

  and a small paint brush....


hmmmm



dilu

clare14 Country Bears
England
Posts: 3,066

Hi Dilu,

You know I do usually fraycheck everything, I like to be thorough  bear_tongue , and on my big bears it's usually a bottle gone in no time!!   I need a more economical way!!   bear_shocked

However the bear I'm working on at the moment isn't your typical 'bear' fabric, and it frays!!!  Why do I put myself through it??   bear_laugh  bear_whistle    I get these bright ideas of trying different mediums........   bear_wacko

No wonder I've had a bad day!!!   bear_laugh  bear_laugh

baggaley bears Baggaley Bears
UK ( nottinghamshire )
Posts: 2,192
Website

Clare, i use 50% - 50% and i use a small paintbrush to apply it, i haven't found it to make the fabric stiff but i would try a bit on a small scrap of fabric first.

Hugs
Vicki

Pijangibears Pijangibears
Denmark
Posts: 870

Hi Clare

I read somewhere here ,that it is 1x glue and 2x water.

Hugs Birgitte

WildThyme Wild Thyme Originals
Hudson, Ohio
Posts: 3,115

Clare... Meet another habitual fraychecker!  When I use mohair I do the whole bear too.   bear_wacko

Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

kbonsall Kim-Bee Bears
Pennsylvania
Posts: 5,645

I use to do the whole bear also... I just do the outside now... unless the weave on the mohair is nice and tight then I dont do it at all bear_original  Fraycheck is too expensive!

Jellybelly Bears Jellybelly Bears
Australia
Posts: 4,066

I think I answered this on another board?  lol.  Yep, I'm a pva/water mix girl too and do all seams and joint holes etc 
xo Sarah

Estelle Estelles canal bears and Tod Teddies
Todmorden West Yorkshire
Posts: 370

yes i use pva 1part glue to 1part water I just do the muzzle and around where the joints are going I like to be sure the joints wont move and make holes( iknow yhey wont its just one of my things)  bear_whistle

carsoncreations Carson Creations
Macomb, IL
Posts: 252
Website

Okay!

I admit I'm a Fray Checkaholic . . . I Fray Check everything, don't want the seams to pull apart.     Can I join the FCA?    (Fray Check Anonymous).

Do you mix it up fresh each time or in a batch and keep stored  . . and what ratio  ... is it distilled water and PVA glue?

Help me break this affliction, those little bottles don't go very far.


Hugs,

Wanda

kbonsall Kim-Bee Bears
Pennsylvania
Posts: 5,645
whiteforestbears wrote:

I too am a habitual fraychecker....actually I use a different brand that I get from Joann's......It doesn't really have much of an odor to me unless your face is right in it....But then again I'm usually wearing my mask when I put it on since I do it right after I finished cutting, and the thought of how much fur I must inhale is just about enough to gag me - so I must wear the mask. lmao!

Oh brother - I've gone off topic once again!  bear_wacko

Perhaps it is the fumes? HA! See back on track!  :thumbsup:

LMAO I just got a visual in my head of this and it cracked me up... I must have tons of mohair and wool in my lungs too BLEECH! I know I inhale dog hair on a daily basis... BLEECH!

MerBear MerBear Originals
Brockville, Ontario
Posts: 1,540

I find that the Schulte mohair is so densely woven it doesn't need fray-checking - or at least only at the openings for stuffing maybe for extra strength. I agree that some mohair does require it all around.

Marion

psichick78 Flying Fur Studios
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 3,073

Just wanted to add my two cents.

If you're worried about how much fray check you use, just know that I don't use it on my whole bear. I just use it on the joint holes and seam openings. I've never had a problem with the fact that I don't fray check the whole bear.

I'm sure it can't hurt though. It's always good to have strong seams, but I'm just cheap and save money where I can.

Dilu Posts: 8,574

Well gollygoodheavens ladies, no wonder you're going broke..... bear_sad

What i would do, in your cases, is figure out what the medium is in fray check and then figure out the solvent, and experiement with dilutions until i had the dilution that worked for me....it would have to be cheaper to put your own together.....

I can't seem to find my bottle, but the idea is intriguing as i do use the stuff on the gollies.....Also i would use up several bottles of fray check but save the bottles, I do this already, because it lets out such a nice little bit if you don't cut the top but just poke it with a a doll needle...then i could recant the mix i make.....now I do have to do some research

If I learn anything I will let you know....

hugs

dilu

clare14 Country Bears
England
Posts: 3,066
Jellybelly Bears wrote:

I think I answered this on another board?  lol.

You did Sarah, I've been asking everywhere!!   :hug:   Thank you!!!  bear_wub

AnnG Childhood Treasures
Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
Posts: 101

try a little iron on interfacing, very light weight, don't let the iron get too hot, unless you don't mind the hair getting curly. Experiment on a little piece. Then you won't have to frey check.

kbonsall Kim-Bee Bears
Pennsylvania
Posts: 5,645

Ann, would that help on knit back fabrics to prevent stretch? I don't know if you will know the answer but it was a thought bear_original

SunnieOne Sunnie Bears
Ridgecrest, CA
Posts: 1,167

Kim
Iron on interfacing is excellent to use on knit back furs!
Sonya

kbonsall Kim-Bee Bears
Pennsylvania
Posts: 5,645
SunnieOne wrote:

Kim
Iron on interfacing is excellent to use on knit back furs!
Sonya

YAY! I have beeen looking for that "magical" solution to stretch!  :hug:

nettie scotland
Posts: 2,160
Website
clare14 wrote:

Hi Dilu,

You know I do usually fraycheck everything, I like to be thorough  bear_tongue , and on my big bears it's usually a bottle gone in no time!!   I need a more economical way!!   bear_shocked

However the bear I'm working on at the moment isn't your typical 'bear' fabric, and it frays!!!  Why do I put myself through it??   bear_laugh  bear_whistle    I get these bright ideas of trying different mediums........   bear_wacko

No wonder I've had a bad day!!!   bear_laugh  bear_laugh

Clare ,you must be high as a kite as well as broke,All those fumes!!!!I quite like the smell.I  only use it on the muzzles of bears under 7 inches.Velvet bears needit all over but I never find mohair ones do.Perhaps you use looser woven mohair???
Sorry I can't think of an alternative.I iron the edges of my parts (bears of course) and they don't curl and catch the needle and thread.That may work.
Diane xxx

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB

Banner Sponsors


Johnna's Mohair Store - Specializing in hand dyed mohair and alpaca
Past Time Bears - Artist bears designed and handcrafted by Sue Ann Holcomb