To be frugal, I make my own starch: 1-2 tbsp corn starch; 2 cups water. It is good for two weeks. I have not noticed that it flakes.

I need to try Mary Ellen's. Can I get it in stores??

I agree with LindaR and others...Best Press is the way to go...I like it so much, I now buy it by the gallon. I got the gallon during a great sale at JoAnn.com, because I couldn't get it locally.

I used to use that brand all the time but I went with Sta-Flo because of the cost and the fact I can make it as strong as I want.

Billy

LOL, Billy you sound like my husband. " Hey, I can make that better or I can fix that." You really do not need your fabric to stand up on its own.
Charlene

A real good friend of mine Anne Kusilek (Damascus Annie) told me to starch until it stands on end!!

She is one of the best quilters that I have talked to that has sat down and told me all of the secrets that they have learned through the years. And she and I use the same machine to FMQ with a model 15 treadle!

There is no telling how many quilts she has had in magazines and won ribbons with.

Billy

Thanks for the question, Billy, and thanks to all who have responded. I only starch some projects-when I know I will have a bias to work with. This is quite enlightening!

Iron on the opposite side that you sprayed the starch on. If you spray the starch on the right side of the fabric turn it over to press it. Works like a charm.

My neighbor and fellow quilter comes from a family who owns a dry cleaning company. She uses Magic Sizing only, and says that is what the company uses for any fabric pressing.
Last weekend my DD1 was making a wedding dress for a friend and she used Mary Ellen's on all the layers of sheer and others --it came out spectacularly with just the right coverage. Of course she used my whole 16 oz. bottle.! I went online and found a gallon from the company that makes it cheaper than any other,even on sale.

I too use my hand to rub the starch into the fabric and have very few problems with flaking no matter what brand I use. I also try to startch multiple layers at a time if possible. Instead of the extra starch stiffening my ironing cover, it starches the second layer of fabric. This works especially well when starching fat quarters. I don't starch as heavily on pieced blocks, but when I am doing machine applique, I starch until it "stands on end". By doing so, I do not need to use any fusables or stabilizers. I just use a glue stick to hold the applique in place and then use either a satin or buttonhole stitch.