Homemade starch: cook or no-cook
 

I've seen recipes for starch that you cook over the stove and some that you mix cold. I'm wondering what the difference is. Has anyone tried both?

I've tried both ways. Here's my take on it.
For several years I diluted the cornstarch with a bit of cold water then
added boiling water. That worked but it would separate so you have
to keep stirring. I put the starched fabric in ziploc bags and keep
it in the fridge for 24 hours.
Then I tried to cook the starch. The good thing with cooking the starch
is that it does not separate. The bad thing is is that it made a mess
on my iron even on dry fabric. It was a nightmare. Maybe I cooked
the starch too long? But anyway, after this experiment I'm back to
starching the old way.
You could try both ways and see which method you like. :)

Have you ever heard of making starch out of vodka? There used to be a recipe on this board.

I starch pieces in big batches, dunking and immersing them rather than spraying. I mix a little bit of cold water with starch, then add boiling water from the kettle.

This is how I mix it up as well, but in a smaller batch (2 cups) which fills my spray bottle. I give it a generous spray and usually let it air dry, then a very quick touch up with the iron and voila - nice stiff fabric ready for cutting. If I’m in a hurry and iron when it is still wet, I iron from the side that wasn’t sprayed and put a large piece of parchment paper between the starched fabric and iron (this paper can be used over and over again. If you do happen to get some starch on your iron it comes off easily with a very wet Magic Eraser. Always give your spray bottle a good shake if it has been sitting around.

I never thought that making search was worth the trouble when a can cost .98.
Less if using concentrated StaFlow. The homemade will go rancid so I was always tossing it out and making more, boiled or not.

I've used this method for years.... put 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1 teaspoon bottled lemon juice in your spray bottle, fill with water and shake. You can add more or less cornstarch, to make light or heavy starch. I also add a drop of cologne to scent it. Just give it a shake before each use.... it does not go BAD!

The recipe I use is equal parts of Sta Flo starch, water, and Fabreeze. It mixes well and just needs a little shake before using. It can cause a mess on the iron if the fabric is still wet when you iron it, but as Valerie stated it comes off readily with a wet Magic Eraser.

This is the “vodka” recipe. I copied it from the board, but did not credit the person that had posted it. Sorry.
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Quilters' Moonshine

This recipe makes a little over a gallon so be prepared to make it in a bucket or large bowl and then transfer to other containers.

Mix well:
1 gallon of distilled water
1/2 - 3/4 cup liquid starch (I used Sta-Flo)**see note below
1 cup vodka (cheap is fine - and now you know why we call it Moonshine!)

You can add up to 4 teaspoons of your favorite essential oil for a scent, if you'd like. I did not do that. I don't particularly care for scented items because I never know if it will set off my allergies.

**I like to use 3/4 cup of liquid starch because I think it works much better, but many people have told me that they only use 1/2 cup and are happy with the results. The choice is yours. Try it with 1/2 cup first and if you don't feel it's working at the optimal level for you, add the other 1/4 cup.

That's it!

Mix it well and pour into other containers. Since this makes a bunch, you can give it as gifts to your quilting buddies, or keep it all for yourself. Of course you could also cut the recipe in half and just make less, but what fun is that?

I've made my own starch for years. I use quite a bit since I like my fabric to be real stiff.

I bought quart spray bottles from Walmart. I mix 2 heaping tablespoons of corn starch and 1/2 cup alcohol. I strain the mix into my bottle and finish filling with water. It does settle, so you have to shake it before using. So far I've not had any problems of buildup on my iron. Sometimes I do get the white flakes on dark material, so I just starch the backside and that eliminates the flakes.

I use the 50% alcohol from Walmart. It costs 88 cents. A lot cheaper than Vodka, which has better uses than for ironing! Thru the years I've never had a batch go bad. But without the alcohol, it doesn't take long before it turns into a rotten stink that you can smell all over the house.

One of my quilting teachers told us to be careful if you startch fabric which is to be stored as bugs, silverfish I think, like it to eat!

I believe the vodka, keeps the solutions from separating.

I'll try the cook starch on some scratch fabric and use my old iron and see if I get the same results. I'll try to remember to post when I do.
Thanks for sharing your experience!

Thank you for the tip! In my case I just want to starch it while I'm working on it and then will wash it out when the quilt is completed.

Thanks to everyone who posted about the vodka and lemon juice starches. Being able to store it for a while would be very useful, and I will definitely experiment with different recipes. A little vinegar would probably be worth trying, too. I bought several spray bottles and I'll have to mix up batches of each type and start spraying some of my scrap fabric.

It might take me a little while to get to this (and by "little while" I mean possibly several months), but I'll try to post anything useful I learn.

The cornstarch flakes and will burn easy. No matter what recipe I used, the stuff starts to stink (may not be bad but it stinks) before I can use up a spray bottle full. I do make my own basting spray and like it a lot.

You can prevent flaking by first spraying on the starch, then spraying a fine mist of water on top, then wait about 10-20 seconds.

The reason you get flaking is because some of the liquid hasn't soaked into the fabric. The spritz of water seems to help, in my experience.

Best Press, which is another starch product, has an added surfactant which helps it absorb into the fabric faster.

You have to be patient when using cornstarch. It's not for everyone. ;)