Originally Posted by
PaperPrincess
I always use starch when doing any piecing with a bias cut, like HST. I starch my yardage before I cut. My local store carries StaFlo in half gallons, so that's what I use. I dilute it 50/50 and dip starch. As mentioned, you need to give the fabric time to absorb the starch, so I put the dampened fabric in a plastic bag for a half hour or so. If I get side tracked & won't get to it in a half hour, I stick the bag in the refrigerator.
This is what I do but spray instead of dip. I have a dishpan that I spray into to keep the mess contained. Letting it sit is key because it allows the starch to absorb into the fibers of the fabric. I never have flakes when I do this. It takes some planning and patience (not to press right away) but it is well worth it. The liquid starch that you dilute is also so economical. It makes a huge difference when cutting some pieces.
As far as bugs go I live in Florida where there are bugs, bugs and more bugs and have never had any problems with them in my starched fabric or quilts. The quilts get washed when they are done being quilted but the fabric sits until I'm ready to use it again. I try to estimate how much fabric I'll need for a project and starch that much but I always have some left over that I save for other projects.