Spray Starch Alternative
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,991
I sure wish that I could buy Niagara starch in Canada. I've looked everywhere including Wal-mart. I can't find the big jugs of the liquid starch or even the aerosol. All I can find is the canned spray stuff ($3.29) at the grocery store near the army base and it's not Niagara (something made in China which annoys me no end as we grow plenty of corn in Ontario). My hubby wants to go to Kentucky in February for the farm show and I know what I will be declaring at the border. I hope they don't want to confiscate it thinking that it is for some devious purpose.
#13
I love Mary Ellen's Best Press but can't afford to use it for everything. So I buy the Niagra that is for dark clothes that doesn't leave flakes. It does work well. Then read on here that many buy the concentrate and make their own. What a flaky mess! So back to using the the 2- Best Press as often as possible. It is Slightly cheaper buying the larger refill but not much. Hope someone has a solution for all of us stretching the budget. I wash mine, but wall hangings and table toppers need the starch to get the look I like them to have.
#15
I use Niagara in the non aerosol format, works great. I only use it when I'm going to use the fabric and I wash my finished projects as soon as they are done, no bug problem. I do however have scraps that must have it on it, no bug problem there either. No humidity here so maybe that why. I also think it works better than Mary Ellens. Mary Ellens is just too expensive for me and don't like paying that price and don't like any of the scents either.
Some of the "quilt police" types think using starch is just so yesterday. They also think I'm crazy for loving my Viking D1 since they believe Janome is the only machine to use. Interesting that they don't understand why I don't ever have a tension problem. To each his own.
Some of the "quilt police" types think using starch is just so yesterday. They also think I'm crazy for loving my Viking D1 since they believe Janome is the only machine to use. Interesting that they don't understand why I don't ever have a tension problem. To each his own.
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 1,293
I sure wish that I could buy Niagara starch in Canada. I've looked everywhere including Wal-mart. I can't find the big jugs of the liquid starch or even the aerosol. All I can find is the canned spray stuff ($3.29) at the grocery store near the army base and it's not Niagara (something made in China which annoys me no end as we grow plenty of corn in Ontario). My hubby wants to go to Kentucky in February for the farm show and I know what I will be declaring at the border. I hope they don't want to confiscate it thinking that it is for some devious purpose.
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Michigan. . .FINALLY!!!!
Posts: 6,726
I use Best Press. I also dilute it 50% - 60% with regular tap water. I get the same results as if I used it full strength and it lasts even longer. I buy mine at Hancock Fabrics and use a Joann's 50% off coupon which make its reasonable.
#18
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 525
Making your own starch is incredibly easy and super inexpensive. I would guess 16 ozs. would be just pennies to make.
Boil 1 cup of water.
Meanwhile . . .Place 1/2 to 1 heaping teaspoon Cornstarch** in a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup and add a Tablespoon or two of cool water, stir to dissolve Cornstarch.
Add boiling water to dissolved cornstarch, stir thoroughly. Add 1 cup cool water and stir thoroughly.
When cool enough to handle, pour into a spritzer bottle.
Shake well before each spray. This mixture will last 5-7 days then will need to be tossed out (if you even have any left).
**amount of cornstarch you use is a personal choice. The more you add, the stiffer your fabric will be. I personally use 1 rounded teaspoon per 2 cups of water.
Boil 1 cup of water.
Meanwhile . . .Place 1/2 to 1 heaping teaspoon Cornstarch** in a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup and add a Tablespoon or two of cool water, stir to dissolve Cornstarch.
Add boiling water to dissolved cornstarch, stir thoroughly. Add 1 cup cool water and stir thoroughly.
When cool enough to handle, pour into a spritzer bottle.
Shake well before each spray. This mixture will last 5-7 days then will need to be tossed out (if you even have any left).
**amount of cornstarch you use is a personal choice. The more you add, the stiffer your fabric will be. I personally use 1 rounded teaspoon per 2 cups of water.
#19
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,827
I sure wish that I could buy Niagara starch in Canada. I've looked everywhere including Wal-mart. I can't find the big jugs of the liquid starch or even the aerosol. All I can find is the canned spray stuff ($3.29) at the grocery store near the army base and it's not Niagara (something made in China which annoys me no end as we grow plenty of corn in Ontario). My hubby wants to go to Kentucky in February for the farm show and I know what I will be declaring at the border. I hope they don't want to confiscate it thinking that it is for some devious purpose.
I've had some of the green cans and haven't really liked them ... check Dollar Tree just over from Fabricland in Orangeville. They had some of the green cans when I was in there recently.
I can just see your DH when you pull up to the border with a trunk load of spray starch! .... maybe it's made from potato starch?
I like the spray sizing, again, only in the USA!
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