Originally Posted by
JudyTheSewer
I soak a piece of fabric in a mixture of 50% blue liquid starch and 50% water. I squish out as much moisture as I can; I never wring it though. I hang it somewhere to dry (usually my pieces are 20" X 20" or less so I hang them over the edge of my ironing board) and put something to absorb the drips underneath. When it is totally dry I iron with the grain of the selvage. I don't notice any stretching or distortions of the fabric. Trying to iron the fabric dry when the fabric is wet has not worked for me - the starch scorches.
I use this method as well. Soak , air dry, then iron. Best advice ... let the starch dry prior to pressing/ironing. Depending on the project ..I will alter the strenght of the starch . Currently work ing a log cabin with skinny strips..some one inch. Other than paper piecing , this( starch) is the best method for accuracy.
I especially like to starch scrappy projects as the grain ( lenght or cross) is not quickly determined on bits of scraps. starching keeps them all behaving and playing well together.