Teen

I don't pre wash and only starch when block is complete. If you nail down the "pressing vs ironing" process, a lot of your problems disappear. (As long as your cuts and seam allowances are accurate, of course.). I do press my fabric before I cut if there are wrinkles or I'm opening a fold etc. These speaks to 100% cotton not to other type fabrics.

cannyquilter

I like to starch my scraps before I cut them.

WMUTeach

I starch using a spray starch that I pick up from the grocery store. I ALWAYS starch when I am working on the bias. I will often starch to get out stubborn folds or wrinkles or if I a quilt with lots of seams some of whom just do not want to stay in the direction needed.

I guess I would call myself a "moderate" starcher...Not everything but more than never!

Watson

I always pre-wash (OK, almost always....I don't know with scrappies.) and I pretty much always starch. I find it gives more body and a sharper cut to the fabric.

Thanks for asking this question. I've learned a lot!

Watson

NJ Quilter

I prewash yardage but not the infrequent precuts. After washing/drying in the dryer, I use a 50/50 mixture of water & Sta-Flo liquid starch in a spray bottle. I only mix up a bit at a time. I spray what I think of as a 'moderate' amount of starch on the fabric, let it soak into the fabric for a bit and then iron. I don't worry about 'pressing'. I also use steam when ironing or pressing.

I, too, come from a garment sewing background and can deal with whatever the fabric throws at me but also feel that moderately starched fabric does help with cutting accuracy, which, in turn helps with sewing accuracy.

I don't necessarily starch pieces/blocks as I go but do certainly use steam. I press/iron after each seam is sewn and trim if needed so the next piece of my block is as accurate as I can make it. I also press my seams open which I feel improves my accuracy and makes for a flatter block/quilt top.

maminstl

I am not a prewasher - and I starch when it is advantageous to do so. I will generally use sizing or spray starch prior to cutting. Almost always on fat quarters because the folds in them are stubborn. I also like to starch if I'm cutting strips - gives me a chance to realign the selvage edges and give it a good press so that I don't have wonky strips. I'll use it it I have a block with lots of seams that I want to lay flat. I also am a fan of buying thrift shop sheets when I find a good cotton one, and starching helps tame that beast as well. It's a tool in the toolbox and I get it out when I need to. I am also a garment sewer and will use starch whenever I need to stabilize a fabric to make it easier to handle. I love the stuff actually!

Barb2018

I'm a fan of Best Press. I don't pre-wash any fabric but always use Best Press before I cut anything. But the amount depends on the fabric. Batiks will get less starch than a really soft plain cotton. I think part of the reason for me is that I really enjoy this time. Pressing is very peaceful and soothing to me, and gives me a chance to see all of the fabric. I don't like nasty surprises that sometimes crop up.

Lee in Richmond

I am sure enough has been said in this post -- I took two times to read even as far as I got, but I wanted to add two little, tiny comments: I do not use aerosolized starch because the unseen overspray hurts everything it falls on; and, I was taught 1000 years ago to only use distilled water in my iron. I know the manufacturers don't advocate that any more, but I have had one iron for 20 years with no problems so far. My local water leaves residue in my humidifier - why wouldn't it leave same in my iron? Good irons ain't cheap!

cashs_mom

They aren't. I use filtered water in my Oliso as per the instructions. I would like to say that I talked to an Oliso rep at Quilt Festival last year and she said not to use distilled water or tap water because it was harmful to the plastics (or something like that). I've noticed that all my newer appliances the use water called for filtered (not distilled or tap water). Older irons are fine with distilled but you might want to check with the manufacturer before using it on a newer iron.

Lee in Richmond

Oops - might need to do more research. I won one of the "sits up on its feet" irons, and I would hate to ruin it. It said the warranty was voided if I used distilled, but nothing more than that. I don't have another filter (just the small one in the refrigerator), but maybe I need to.