I just finished my full size quilt top and am going to give spray basting a try.

I've read many of the previous posts on basting and have gotten some great ideas/tips. I also read that many people starch their quilts before quilting.

Do you starch the back, the top, or both? Is starching necessary if you spray baste?

Thank you for any help or advice.

i dont use starch as it will attract silver fish which eat your fabric i use sizing i would only do it if your top has gotten really wrinkled

I starch. I like the feel of the starched fabric, it doesn't get out of place so easily and after the quilt is done, I can wash the starch out. My opinion.

I don't starch. I imagine most people are using it before cutting the fabrics out and piecing them together. Does anyone starch before basting if they have not done it sooner?

I heavily starch the backing before spray basting and have never had a problem. I do use cotton batting, which is supposed to spray baste easier than poly battings. Also, I think that some brands of spray baste hold better than others.

Starching the backing fabric helps prevent ripples and pleats while machine quilting; the backing won't stretch out of shape while being manipulated under the presser foot. It's just harder for the fabric to bunch up when it is starched.

I heavy starch all my fabric right before I cut it. Then I wash a couple times once the quilt is done to get the starch out to prevent bugs!

The truth about silverfish is that although they WILL eat the starched fabric, they will also eat unstarched fabric just as well! They are not really picky. This is why I store ALL fabric in air tight containers!

Some people who have spray basted with poly battings say you just have to use more of the spray to get everything to stick. To spray baste a poly batting and starched batting, I would probably spray both before putting them together. I can't imagine that not working. (Normally you spray either the batting or the backing, not both, before smoothing them together.)

I don't use starch if I am using basting spray. It just doesn't work as well for me that way. JMHO.