joe'smom

I order by the gallon from JoAnn on-line, usually waiting until a free shipping promo. They sell it in smaller size at the store, but it is cheaper by the gallon. I've noticed one of our LQS stock it in the smaller size, so you could check around in your area.

Innov8R

I like the stability that starching gives, so I starch and iron before cutting. I am using canned spray starch now, but I think I will try the recipe Chytayzie gave to see if I like it. Her recipe would be better for the environment.

marietta

Very seldom do I pre wash my fabric before cutting and sewing. And have found rarely do I press/iron my fabric before cutting. Unless of course its been in my remnant box lol.
When I do feel the need for it I prefer using Sizing much more than starch. Makes it lay flat and has a light body, not stiff like with starch

citruscountyquilter

I use liquid store bought starch with equal parts starch and water in a sprayer. I spray the fabric I'm going to use and then roll it and put it in a plastic bag to let it rest and the starch to be absorbed into the fibers. I then press it. By doing this I don't have any flakes or residue on my iron or board.
I like to starch if I'm going to have bias edges or narrow strips. I find there is less distortion this way.

mac

I want to say that 'critters' do love to eat starch, so I only starch what I will be using at that time.

I like to prewash fabric, that way you will know what to expect when you wash the whole quilt at one time.

Starching fabric before you cut it, helps to make a nice sharp cut. It also helps to make your stitches nice when you sew. Have you ever noticed that when you at a quilt store where they sell sewing machines, that they always give you a very stiff piece of fabric to test sew on? Why? Because all your stitches will look so much nicer. When your stitching lays flatter and your pieces fit together better, your quilt, as a whole, will look much better. Your points are on target, your blocks look more professional and everything just works better. This is just my humble opinion from years of experience. Of course, the disadvantage is that you need to wash the quilt afterwards because, as I said earlier, the critters love starch.

As for what kind of starch I use, I used to use the starch in a can, but it really messes up my iron. I now use the stuff in the bottle and dilute it to fit my needs.

@Marietta: I love your avatar about the Etch A Sketch. It had me laughing till tears came.

crafty pat

I use Best Press and spray starch. When I was younger I made my own a lot but with age I find it much easier to use what is ready made.

QuiltnLady1

I wash and starch my fabric before I use it in a project -- don't like to store starched fabric too long because of critters. I like my fabric stiff because it helps keep the biases from stretching.

Austinite

I use 1/3 vodka to 2/3 distilled water. I did like Best Press but even the unscented one triggers a migraine for me plus it's really expensive. I seem to get a similar result from vodka/water and it's cheaper and no headaches. Use whatever you like, my mother is a huge quilter and she's made several award-winning quilts with no starching at all and several winners with the el cheapo starch at the grocery store. Whatever you like.

Jeanette Frantz

Absolutely. I had to wash the starch out of my very first pieced-block quilt (a Log Cabin Quilt, made and presented to a United States Army Veteran injured in Afghanistan.

Chytayzie

When I'm storing my fabric in totes, I also include a cotton ball with a few drops of lavender essential oil which I renew ever now and again when I'm in the tote looking for the next project. Been doing this for years and so far never had an insect problem. We live in the Delta which is full of bugs, so there is the potential.

I used to keep my material in a book case. I had problems of fading on the edges and dust collecting really bad.