I really like the non-aerosol Niagara. It comes in a linen or lavender scent. I use it when working with applique pieces or if I have to piee bias edges. It helps keep the fabric from stretching and makes stitching easier.

Mary Ellen's Best Press is wonderful but it is expensive and I find for the difference in the price that the Niagara works great - the fabric is stiffer (starchier).

love that non-aerosol. it works great, is in-expensive, better for the environment and smells good.

Wow, guess I am the odd man (woman) here I tried Mary Ellen's Best Press once and fell in love with it. I really like the way it makes my fabric feel and look. I was lucky enough to find a LQS that had the 16oz bottle on sale for $4.97 so I bought several. I don't have to use as much of Mary Ellen's as I did of the other to have better results plus I like not using an aerosol can as well as recycling the empty bottle later.

I wonder if it'll help make me a happy ironer!!! :lol: :lol: Not my favorite job. I did use the recipe and it did work. Before that I purchased Sta-Flo and made a real heavy solution. Love to use it on my curtains for fall and spring cleaning. I wash the curtains, hang on clothes line and spray while still wet. Works great, especially for lace.

I have been using the Sta-flo and not having a problem with it lasting or going bad. I guess I use it too fast but I make it up by the spray bottle , one from the garden center. I do use distilled water don't know if that makes a difference. I added rose water to mine and it was really nice to smell that when I ironed.
I found something awhile back but no one carries it anymore. Dryel made a starch alternative and I loved that. They stopped making it however I can't even find it online anymore.

Thanks for all the hints, will look at Walmart for the starch and maybe try to make some using the recipe.

I don't use the store bought spray starch, I get the concentrate bottle for under $5, dilute it 50/50, put it in a spray bottle and it lasts a long time.

I love MaryEllen's - found it on Amazon in gallon jugs - much more reasonable than the quilt store prices.

My MIL has always made her own starch, before being diagnoised with Alz she came over in the fall and in the spring and collected all the doillies that she had crocheted for me and took them home to wash and starch and stretch them for me. She taught my husband to make the starch and it is all he has ever used and he irons and starches almost all of his clothes (you notice I said he straches).

I just looked at Amazon. If you buy the gallon you pay 36.70 cents per ounce and the 16 oz is 81 cents per ounce Now I included the shipping in the price per ounce. Yep I am one of Those people lol. As nice as it is, I have a bottle and save it for ironing clothes which is once in a blue moon. But I think for quilting fabric I will stick to my starch. I haven't figured out the price per ounce but I would guess its just a penny or two. I am cheap!!!