Thread: When you buy starch

In bulk,what proportions do you cut it with water? I would think you would want it straight to get the best stiffness. I have been using canned spray starch but find it a bit expensive.

LOL if you use it full strenght it will be stiff a a board! If you want it reeeel stiff go 1/2 & 1/2. I usually use 1/3 starch to 2/3 water, that's a good stiffness for piecing.

i use it 50/50

Is this stiff enuf to hold biases?

it's stiff enough to hold the roof up.

I also do 50/50. I want it to be board stiff, makes it easier to cut!

Originally Posted by mar32428

Is this stiff enuf to hold biases?

I mix Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch 1:1 with water, "paint" it onto my fabric using a large wall painting brush, toss the fabric in the dryer, and iron with steam. It comes out with about the stiffness of cardstock. It is *extremely* stable even for bias cuts. I use it this way on background fabric for machine applique also, and it is stiff enough that I do not need to use a stabilizer, even if I am doing satin stitch (no tunneling).

Some people spray it on; I don't know if it comes out as stiff that way.

Also, I'm not sure if there are other brands of starch on the market -- liquid or powdered -- so I'm not sure how other brands might work.

I'm a 50/50 girl, too. I like to sew cardboard!

I read somewhere that you can make your own out of cornstarch, anyone ever tried that?

Originally Posted by kathy

LOL if you use it full strenght it will be stiff a a board! If you want it reeeel stiff go 1/2 & 1/2. I usually use 1/3 starch to 2/3 water, that's a good stiffness for piecing.

I would use it this way.