Upholstery and Fabrics - Making fabric stiff/hard and shapeable

I want to take a large piece of fabric and make it stiff. I before it totally stiffens, I want to shape it so that it looks wavy or has curves to it. I want it to harden into the shape that I make it. Any ideas on how to stiffen the fabric as well as shape it and make it stay in the shape that I choose? Thanks.

Are you going to mount it or staple it to something when it's finished? If so, I can think of a couple things to try that may help somewhat, but if you just want to shape it and leave it loose and retain that shape, I don't think there is such a thing.

I plan to hang it from a drop ceiling with wire. I will put holes in the four corners of the fabric, add grommets to the holes and loop the wire through the holes to hang it from the drop ceiling. I saw this done in a restaurant. They used fabric and it was shaped into waves then hung from the ceiling. The fabric was stiff. I don't know what was used to stiffen the fabric. Will you share your ideas on how to stiffen the fabric? Thanks.


Are you going to mount it or staple it to something when it's finished? If so, I can think of a couple things to try that may help somewhat, but if you just want to shape it and leave it loose and retain that shape, I don't think there is such a thing.

OK, well that explains the stiffness. Restaurants are required to use fire retardant fabrics, so the fabric is sent off to be treated, which causes the fabric to become stiff and can continue to stiffen over time. The "waves" are actually created from the style of draperies that were used called Ripplefold, which is actually done by using special hardware which causes the fabric to have a ripplefold effect.

Are you wanting to stiffen the fabric because you think this is how the waves are made? You can get this same effect by using grommets, spaced at regular intervals and dressing them by hand.

If you still want to stiffen the fabric you can try just spraying them with regular spray starch (get it at any supermarket, Walmart type stores or dollar stores) and then pressing the fabric as you spray, or if you have a Joann's Fabrics or Hancock's, near you, they sell a Fabric Stiffener (which is called "Fabric Stiffener). Never used it so not sure how stiff it gets but worth a try.

Hope this helps.

Thanks! I asked at the restaurant and they told me that an artist did the fabric. So i'm thinking the artist did it themselves as opposed to sending it off to be treated. This fabric was very stiff so I don't see spray starch making it as stiff as I need it to be. In case the fabric was sent off to be treated, do you know what the fabric is treated with?

Then I'm thinking that maybe it was the paint he used that stiffened the fabric, perhaps an acrylic paint. Just taking a guess here, but maybe you could spray paint it, then shape it as it's drying. I really don't know though. When I don't know how to do something, I just take scraps and play around with it till I get it the way I want and this is what you may have to do.
You can't buy the fire retardant, you need to either buy fabric that's already been treated or have it sent to a company that laminates fabrics. Sorry, but I don't know of any retail sources to give you. Maybe a dry cleaner that does drapery work could help?
Sorry I couldn't be more help, but I haven't come across this situation before.

Actually you did help. The acrylic paint idea and practicing with small cuts of fabric first is definitely a good idea and one that I will try. Thanks again!