There are different ways to stiffen felt. You can use a chemical stiffener or a water-based one. Both do a great job so the kind you use is a personal choice or may be determined by which is most easily accessible in your part of the world. In this article, I will share my particular method of stiffening felt.

Personally, I have been using water-based stiffener for quite a few years and am very happy with the results I get with it. I prefer water-based stiffener because it is safer than chemical stiffener and doesn’t have such a strong smell. Due to the toxic fumes, chemical stiffeners must be used in a very well ventilated area and it is advisable to wear a face mask. You should always follow all safety instructions and it is strongly recommended that you do not use chemical stiffeners if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. In my opinion, water-based stiffener is easier to use and much easier to handle.

Water-based stiffener looks a lot like PVA glue. It’s a white liquid that dissolves in water easily. It is sold in two different forms, ready to use stiffener, meaning it has already been diluted with water and can be used directly from the bottle without any extra preparation. This type of stiffener is quite runny. Non-diluted stiffener, on the other hand, is much thicker. It comes as a concentrate and will need to be mixed with water before use. The instructions for doing this should be on the bottle or packaging. I prefer to use non-diluted stiffener because it gives me more control over how strong I want my stiffener for the style or material I am working with.

This felt stiffening tutorial was written by London milliner Elena Shvab.

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