Starch - Help...Please
 

This is gonna seem very silly but I'm getting so frustrated. I am having trouble lining up even the simplest seams. The fabric I am using is definitely on the low quality side & thought starch would help to stabilise the fabric. I guess my question is What is the correct way to use starch? I have tried 'Best Press' & reg. starch. I have been spraying, then pressing (while wet) Is this the wrong way?
Please tell me the correct way to use starch. What are your methods? Thank You.

I spray until wet and then press. Sometimes repeating. My fabric is stiff as paper before I cut. That's just what I like to do even when I use my Go. If the fabric is low quality and you have to use it, you can fuse lightweight interfacing to it.

Do you have trouble with all material or just this low quality stuff you are working on? Is it worth the effort to continue or can you switch out the material for something else? You have done what I would do. I do remember my mother soaking the fabric in starch and then putting it in the frig until she was ready to iron it. She said it helped the fabric absorb the starch. Personally I would ditch the bad stuff.

Spray the fabric on one side and then press till dry on the other side. This makes sure that the starch gets into the fabric.

Spray and press!

You mention that it is not stabilizing it ... are you trying to cut before the fabric is dry?
Then it should be ... Spray, Press, Dry.

If you've used minimal spray, it will be dry, almost as fast as you finish pressing.
The more you use, the longer you may want to let it sit before cutting.

Thank You ALL for your input. I am trying to make my 3 year old Grandson a 'picnic quilt'. He likes to have picnics on the living room floor and I'm sure will want to have picnics outside this summer. It was suppose to be a quick - easy project.... & I was trying to use up some of my 'not so great quality' fabrics. Didn't really want to spend a ton of money on something that was gonna be eaten on & drug around outside. Next time, I'll stick to quality...:)

Thank You.

Good luck with the spray starch.

Have you thought of cutting the fabric the same width and different heights? Then you don't have to worry about matching seams!

Nan

I'd quit worry about lining up the seams and just put it together. I can guarantee no 3 year old is going to notice or care if a few seams are off. All he's going to care about is "gramma made me a picnic quilt!!"

I read this before. So I starched my backing for a quilt and put it in the freezer. I found it about 2 weeks later and wondered what this frozen thing was. How long should it stay in the fridge?