Thread: Weird experience with starch. Is this normal??

I agree with your post. The starch and sizing you put in the fabric will build up on the needle and also gums up the bobbin race in your machine. I think if you have to starch something that much it maybe isn't good quality fabric to begin with.

Originally Posted by Geri B

I don't use starch, I use sizing and very infrequently.......I'm sorry, but I just don't see the reason to "starch til it's like cardboard" in order to piece a quilt. I haven't starched anything since dh had to wear white shirts to work daily and they were all cotton...well, take that back, I have a few doilies that I have inherited, and when they are washed I will then starch them til they are like cardboard!!!!

Originally Posted by newestnana

I have used starch, but mainly when I'm going to be cutting small pieces and want to keep them accurate. However, I always starch (or use Best Press) before cutting, not after the blocks have been pieced. What is the reason for starching after piecing?

I have used starch to re-size a block if it is a little bit too small - got carried away with squaring it up, starched it heavily and pinned it on my ironing board, stretching it a little bit to keep it square and make it a little bit larger. Worked beautifully.

Originally Posted by grdmachris

The starch and sizing you put in the fabric will build up on the needle and also gums up the bobbin race in your machine.

Originally Posted by Geri B

I just don't see the reason to "starch til it's like cardboard" in order to piece a quilt.

Starching fabric until it's like cardboard is helpful when you're making a very intricate block or when you've got a lot of bias edges or when you're preparing pieces for turned-edge applique using the starch method.

If you iron your fabric right sides together while it's still damp, it sticks together for rotary cutting and sewing.

Otherwise, normal starch is enough to make your fabric behave.

If you starch your backing fabric, it will slide more easily when you're quilting, and it will do some of the pre-shrinking. :)

I've never had a needle gum up when sewing heavily starched items and I've never seen anything more than the usual oily lint in the bobbin area in any of my machines.

If the iron gets a build up the needle will to. I worked at a sewing machine repair shop and the starch would make skipped stitches. Alcohol would have to clean up the race and bobbin cases and new needles were changed to make it not skip. The needle gets hot going in and out of the fabric fibers and the starch will collect on the needle. Glad you haven't had that problem.

Originally Posted by grdmachris

If the iron gets a build up the needle will to. I worked at a sewing machine repair shop and the starch would make skipped stitches. Alcohol would have to clean up the race and bobbin cases and new needles were changed to make it not skip. The needle gets hot going in and out of the fabric fibers and the starch will collect on the needle. Glad you haven't had that problem.

What is the race? I get skipped stitches when sewing through multiple layers (such as the three layers of a quilt -- even though I use a walking foot). I use a new needle so it's not that. Strangely, it doesn't happen when I FMQ.

I thought it might be the timing...(but I suspect it takes a repair shop to fix that).

The race is the round sharp pointed part that encases the bobbin case. If the race is dragging from lint or a build up it will not meet the right spot to pick up the bobbin thread and therefore a skipped stitch. Sometimes certain types of oil and debre can pit the race and it will get a jagged rough spot and can cause the skipping of threads. Good clean oil that is not discolored is the best to use and not 3in1 oils. Sewing machine oil is recommended. Maintenance on the machine can prevent a lot of little things from going wrong. Ask your repair man the next time you get it cleaned what they feel about sewing through starched items.

Originally Posted by newestnana

Originally Posted by grdmachris

If the iron gets a build up the needle will to. I worked at a sewing machine repair shop and the starch would make skipped stitches. Alcohol would have to clean up the race and bobbin cases and new needles were changed to make it not skip. The needle gets hot going in and out of the fabric fibers and the starch will collect on the needle. Glad you haven't had that problem.

What is the race? I get skipped stitches when sewing through multiple layers (such as the three layers of a quilt -- even though I use a walking foot). I use a new needle so it's not that. Strangely, it doesn't happen when I FMQ.

I thought it might be the timing...(but I suspect it takes a repair shop to fix that).

Thank you! I suppose it would be a good idea to wash before giving when I think about all of the handling. I hate losing that "new" fluffiness.

I have a hunch you might have used too much of Mary Ellen's Best Press. Starch is thicker and as a result it doesn't saturate fabric as fast as Mary Ellen's.

I use it all the time and I make sure to use just a little squirt. I've thought of using a brush to apply it to an edge before sewing the ¼" seam. I'm cheap...I don't always want the entire area stiffened..might be a mistake but it has worked for me so far. Sometimes I just want the two pieces to stay in place with more than my usual "steam pin" technique.