Tea Anyone?

tea cup and saucer

I decided to crochet a few more of the little friendship baskets, but after I finished the first part of the first basket, dipped it in fabric stiffener, and let it dry, I decided I might attempt a cup and saucer. I have seen all kinds of different things crocheted,and starched stiff, but had never tried any of them myself. As a matter of fact, I have found a precious little crocheted Teddy Bear, that I hope to tackle one day,but today, I will settle for the tea cup set.This is my first one, but I hope to make several more sets in various colors.I remember my Grandmother making doilies for folks and starching them stiff, and I also, remember her words to me."If you ever learn to make these things for others,I will come back and haunt you." it seems after  their doilies were soiled, they would wash them, then bring them back to Grandma for her to stiffen them once again.These doilies were the kind with the many, many ruffles.Grandma would wrestle with those things, trying to get the ruffles to stand up,just right, in order for them to stiffen that way. To the best of my memory, I think she used clothes pins to prop the ruffles up and open in the position she wanted them to be, and she used sugar water to make them stiff. I don't think they had the stiffeners we use today.I have no plan of going that far with these little sets.If I make very many, I may include a note with my tea cup sets, with "Do it yourself"instructions on how to clean and restiffen them.