Thread: Paper Mache Question

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I want to make a pumpkin rot style scarecrow, and I have a question about Stolloween's recipe that is on his site STOLLOWEEN The Basics. In his recipe he uses liquid starch. I'm not to sure what this is. Has anyone used his recipe and can you help me out. I tried looking for some in the store but couldn't find any.

What section did you look at in the store? I think the liquid starch that he is talking about should be by the laundry soaps and such.

I went to a large grocery store here but I couldn't find any, maybe I should try a different store. Does the bottle look like laundry detergant?

I think it might also be called fabric stiffener which you can find in the craft department. White bottle, pink lettering. (well in canada anyways)
I have just been mixing up cornstarch and water and adding it in since the stiffener is kind of expensive. Seems to be okay if you mix it before adding it to the flour mixture, otherwise you get little lumps.

I use the liquid starch in his recipe, and I get it at Wal Mart.... it is on the top shelf amongst the Spray n Wash and spray starch. They usually only have about 4 bottles on the shelf at a time, and I buy them all. My town must hate me. (Not that anyone probably USES it any more, which is why they dont carry alot)

This is the brand they have at my Wal Mart... Sta-Flo Starch

And if you get desperate, I believe I have seen recipes that use powdered corn starch and water or something, which might have the same properties.... you might Google home made liquid starch or something. If I recall correctly, Scott uses the liquid starch for added strength (? maybe) and for faster drying times.

Thanks everyone, I'm going to Walmart tomorrow hopefully they'll have some. Thanks Dixie for the pic. I hope I can find some, if not I'll have to google a home made recipe.

I ended up finding it at Safeway. It was the only store out of nine that I went to that had it. Even my Wal-Mart doesn't carry it. I had all but given up, and just happened to see it in Safeway (the ONE store I didn't look for it). LOL

Thanks msmello, I'll check Safeway too.

I've also been inspired by Stolloween.com, and now I'm working on some of my first paper mache items. I was a little lost in the store as well, and anyone I asked about the liquid starch just had the same blank look.

Well, guess what? You don't need his version to do what you want. Here's how I'm doing it:

I dump about a cup of flour in a bucket, add some Elmer's glue (I actually bought about a dozen bottles of glue from the Dollar store) and then add water and stir with a wooden spoon. If my mixture is too thin I just add more flour. If too thick... yep, more water.

Next I'm going to try making some paper mache clay.... anyone have alternate recipes for that? I'm looking at my paper mache mix added to joint compound. Maybe I'll even add some shredded paper? Not sure yet.