| Q. |
What
is Fiber Etch®? |
| A. |
Fiber
Etch Fiber Remover is a
gel which creates decorative
effects by removing fiber. |
| Q. |
Are
there particular fibers that
are removed by Fiber Etch? |
| A. |
Yes.
Fiber Etch removes plant
fibers: cotton, linen, ramie,
rayon and paper. It is also very
effective on fabric blends (and
most noticeable on blends containing
at least 50% plant fibers). |
| Q. |
What
happens when Fiber Etch contacts
stitching? |
| A. |
For
embroidery, use a thread that
Fiber Etch® will not remove:
100% polyester, acrylic, nylon,
metallic (not containing a rayon
core), or silk. |
| Q. |
Since
silk is a natural fiber, won't
it be removed by Fiber Etch? |
| A. |
Specifically,
silk is a protein fiber, as is
wool. Fiber Etch will only
remove plant fibers. |
| Q. |
What
keeps Fiber Etch within
areas? |
| A. |
Two
things. Fiber Etch is a
gel, so it won't flow out of
control. Also, satin stitching,
paint, or adhesives from iron-ons
help to keep it contained (as
well as providing a non-raveling
border around areas to be removed).
Use a hairdryer to speed drying
of Fiber Etch. |
| Q. |
What
happens if I get Fiber Etch
on an area that I don't want
to be removed? |
| A. |
Simply
wash it out of the fabric with
soap and water. Alternately,
you can sprinkle a bit of baking
soda to neutralize the area if
the treated area is still damp. |
| Q. |
What
type of velvet is best used
with Fiber Etch? |
| A. |
The
velvet must be silk back with
rayon pile (Fiber Etch removes
the rayon pile and leaves the
silk back intact). |
| Q. |
To
which side of the velvet do
you apply the Fiber Etch? |
| A. |
If
applying with a brush or from
the bottle, apply to the pile
side. If silkscreening, apply
to the reverse side. |
| Q. |
What
papers work best with Fiber
Etch? |
| A. |
Choose
an unsized cotton rag or rice
paper without plasticizers, fillers,
or polishes. |
| Q. |
Are
there particular things to
avoid when using Fiber Etch
Fiber Remover? |
| A. |
Avoid
fabrics with heavy finishes or
wax polishes, or that are heavily
pigment printed. Some sizings
can be washed out of fabrics.
Artist quality fabrics (ready
to etch) may be purchased from
us. |
| Q. |
When
sewing and in need of a stabilizer,
what are the best stabilizers
to use with Fiber Etch? |
| A. |
Use
water-soluble or paper-based
stabilizers. Also good to use
are coffee filters, freezer wrap,
and starch. |
| Q. |
How
can I use Fiber Etch for
cutwork? |
| A. |
Fiber
Etch is particularly useful
in removing small areas of intricate
cutwork designs. With silk or
polyester thread on linen fabric,
stitch three close rows of small
straight stitches following pattern
lines, then satin stitch over
all three rows of straight stitching.
Apply Fiber Etch at base
of stitching. Apply to both sides
of heavier fabrics. |
| Q. |
What
happens if the fabric is not
free of sizes of finishes? |
| A. |
Finishes
do not allow Fiber Etch to
permeate into the fibers of the
fabric. Fiber Etch will
remain on the top of the finish
and simply turn the finish brownish
when ironed, not contacting the
fabric fibers at all. Washing
will not always remove all finishes. |
| Q. |
What
type of fabrics have finishes? |
| A. |
Many
poly blend fabrics have finishes,
and many colorful cottons have
finishes as well. |
| Q. |
How
can I tell if my fabric is
free of finishes? |
| A. |
Unless
you're using specifically Kona® (quilter’s)
Cotton, or fabric purchased from
us (which are all of the highest
grade: PFP, which means "Prepared
for Printing"), testing
a strip is necessary to ensure
it is finish free. |
| Q. |
How
much Fiber Etch fiber
remover should I apply? |
| A. |
Apply
enough to permeate through to
the back side of the material. |
| Q. |
Is
it all right to leave Fiber
Etch on overnight? |
| A. |
Generally
not. Silk content fabrics, especially
silk/rayon velvet and silk/rayon
satin, contain only 20% or so
of silk. This renders the fabric
very fragile and sensitive to
an extended period of Fiber Etch
contact. |
| Q. |
How
long should I dry in the dryer
to activate silk content fabrics? |
| A. |
Place
in a tumble dryer on low (with
a small, dry towel) for about
30 minutes. When activated, treated
area becomes stiff. You can test
if sufficiently activated by
scratching with finger. |
| Q. |
What
if the Fiber Etch area
is still not activated? |
| A. |
If
fabric is not sufficiently activated
after 1 hour in the dryer, finish
activating with an iron on low
heat, using a press cloth. |
| Q. |
Is
it possible to use too much
heat when ironing? |
| A. |
Yes,
especially if your fabric contains
silk. After applying Fiber Etch,
be certain to tumble dry all
silk-blend fabrics prior to ironing. |
| Q. |
Should
I dye the fabric first, before
etching? |
| A. |
No.
Dyeing fabric is the last step,
after Fiber Etch has been
activated and removed. |
| Q. |
What
type of wood can be used for
wood burning effects? |
| A. |
Select
a soft, fine-grained wood. We
recommend a birch-faced plywood. |
