Thanks, Rachel. I'm going fabric shopping on Saturday and grocery shopping so I'll pick up some starch and give it a whirl!! Anything to get more accurate cuts.

Kathi in PA

I starch and Hand quilt have not had a problem. I use Niagra.

Thanks, Niagra is what I used. Haven't started the hand quilting yet.

The lady at the fabric store was pushing Mary Ellen's Best Press 'The Clear Starch Alternative'. Has anyone used it & what do you think?

I use the cheapest spray starch... I find it really stiffens up the fabric, especially when I am working with bias edges and I really soak it good. I let it dry completely and never have trouble with it flaking or being a problem on my iron. I tried the liquid starch, and it was ok for giving the fabric body, but even mixing it 50%-50% it did not get as stiff.

I love ME's Best Press!! I use it and I find a little goes a long way. That being said..I have also used regular spray starch from a can. The both work great, but I like Best Press better.

There is one quilter who always answers in the starch thread. For the life of me I can't figure out who she is.

She says she uses a paint brush and brushes the starch solution onto her fabric, the a couple minutes in the dryer, then she presses them out.

I, unfortunately, have never been able to do that for myself. I buy Sta-Flo. It's a blue bottle of liquid, concentrated starch. It's incredibly cheap compared to the spray starch and you can mix it yourself. I use a regular Dollar Tree spray bottle with measuring lines on it. I use a 1:1 solution. It's a 2 quart bottle so it makes at least 4 quarts of solution depending on how strong you want it. I used it on 8 quilts last year and didn't get low until I started this one for this year. It's a wonderful time saver, I love how it makes the fabric stiff. I find it's helps me cut more accurately and my seams fit together much better. Since I always wash my quilts after their quilted, and I don't store them forever, I never worry about bugs getting them or anything like that.

We were a one income house for a long time and I couldn't afford to get fabric when I wanted to notions or pattern books or anything like that. That starch is VERY economic.

What is the difference between spray starch and sizing? I have seen both of them at walmart?

Sizing is similar to starch, but starch is heavier and it seems to go farther.

I love it and have been buying it all the time. Usually buy it at Joanne's when they have a 40% off coupon or sometimes they run it for 50% off. It's the best!