sewmary

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Vodka is made from potatoes, which are - tah dah! - starchy vegetables.

Gin won't work for starch.

I use cornstarch.

gale

I wonder how much of the 'starch' left from the potatoes is actually in vodka though. Anyway I use vodka water sometimes and niagara spray sometimes, but I'm switching to magic sizing.

aronel

Ditto! But I still copied the recipes, just in case.

lakekids

What are you using for your starch? I use Sta-Flo starch and diliute it 1 for 1(1 cup starch to 1 cup water).

lakekids

This is from Diane Gaudynski's website.

Try my recipe for spray starch for all your pressing/piecing needs. Produces a super flat stable quilt: Dissolve a half or one teaspoon of regular Argo cornstarch (in your cupboard probably) in a few tablespoons of cold water in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup/pitcher. Boil 1 cup of water and stir into the cornstarch, stirring constantly. Add enough cool water to make 2 cups total of the mixture. It will thicken slightly and turn from chalk white to translucent. Let cool and use in a pump spray bottle. Shake it every time you spray. You may have to dilute it a little if it is too thick. Lasts a week or so, as there are no preservatives, no chemicals, no nothing that harms us or the environment, and it’s practically free, except for the spray bottle.

ube quilting

You got it right!

LadyElisabeth

Well, this is new to me! I haven't heard of using vodka

MadQuilter

The secret ingredient is potato and vodka is potato-based. I make my own too: Cheap vodka, water, and lavender essential oil. My ratio is one part vodka to about 1.5 parts water and 2 or 3 drops of the oil. Works like a charm for me.

gale

I personally wouldn't use anything with food in it (like real corn starch, sta-flo, which I think has corn starch, etc). Too much temptation for bugs. Maybe if I was washing it shortly after but then if that was the case I wouldn't be starching or pressing it.

As for the vodka, if it's clear I doubt there's any starch left in it. From what I have read it starts out with starch but in the process of fermenting, the starch is converted to sugars.

Hulalulu

My recipe -- 2 oz. vodka, 2 c. DISTILLED water (tried it once using regular and didn't quite get the same result). Found this recipe either on the QB or via Google search as Best Press would have to buy from Amazon and ship here. Works pretty good, use on all my ironing for smooth finish, no stiffness to it.