Sewnoma

I read in a quilt book the other day, instructions to "add starch or sizing" to my fabric and it got me to thinking...I don't really know what "sizing" is and how it might be different from starch. I know there is "sizing" in fabric when I first buy it, and I know what starch is. But I don't know what "sizing" is!

Is it essentially the same thing as starch? If there's a real difference, is "sizing" something a consumer could buy and use, and would I want to use it if I could?

Just kind of wondering if there's a starch-alternate out there that I haven't tried. (I do still like Best Press very well, but you never know when you might find something better or cheaper!)

Prism99

Sizing is made out of chemicals. Starch is made from organic material -- for example, rice, potatoes, corn, etc.

Sizing is limited as to how much stiffening it can provide; it is similar to a light starch solution in that respect. Heavy starch solutions can provide a lot more stiffening and stabilizing of fabric than sizing can.

I use a heavy starch solution (1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch and water) on fabric before cutting into bias strips and also before cutting background squares for machine applique (starch eliminates the need for using a stabilizer underneath the background fabric). No matter how many layers of sizing is used, it would not be able to achieve this level of stabilization of fabric.

alikat110

Yep....Prism covered that perfectly.

Viquilt

I just use a spray bottle of water on pre washed fabric. I can't stand the chemicals in fabric. It burns my eyes. Vi

ILoveToQuilt

I've read that starch can attract bugs: carpet beetles, moths, etc. If you do starch, make sure you wash it out of your quilts thoroughly. Sizing, since chemical, doesn't have this property.

I'm like Viquilt, I only use a spritz bottle of water. If badly wrinkled, I'll really wet the fabric thoroughly, then lightly ring out by hand, and finally press/iron it dry. Voila, no more wrinkles or creases. (This method works especially well on small pieces of fabric and things like handkerchiefs, linen napkins, etc.)

Anita

judi wess

I keep both but really prefer sizing. I read somewhere that starch is a favorite meal for silverfish. Almost no flaking with sizing and is cheap!!!

pocoellie

I have also read/heard that starch attracts bugs, but I've never had ANY kind of bug problem with my starched fabrics, so I would say that if you have a "bug" problem now, then don't store any fabrics that are starched, otherwise I wouldn't worry about it. I LOVE my starch. I've never had a problem with starch flaking either, but the proper way to use starch, is to starch whatever fabric/clothing/etc., at least 2 hours before working with, put into a plastic bag or the likes and let it sit, this way when you iron the fabric, you're ironing the fabric NOT the starch, which is where you get all that junk on your iron.

Charming

Ahhhhh...light bulb just went on...lol
Now I know why my fabric never stiffened like I wanted it using the only sizing bottle I used, so I switched back to starch. Thanks Prism :-)