Homemade starch problem
 

I decided to try my hand at making spray starch yesterday, and it seemed all was going well until I actually tried to press my pieces and discovered a lot of the starch got burned into my iron! I didn't have this problem when using Faultless aerosol spray. I decided to give up on homemade and bought a jug of Sta-Flo, though I haven't tried it yet.

So can anyone tell me what I did wrong? I think I used a tablespoon of corn starch to two cups of water, sprayed it on, let it set for a few minutes, then pressed with the heat on cotton setting. (I tried it on a cooler setting later with not much difference.)

Spray the starch, then spritz a little bit of water on top. This works every time for me.

It's hard to get the cornstarch completely dissolved in the water. The iron steams away the water leaving the cornstarch to stick to the iron. I buy powder starch at the Walmart and StaFlo concentrate when I want to make my own stiffness level.

I have an old that does not steam anymore. I use it only when I use starch. Keeps my other iron clean.

I use the Staflo mixed with water and have zero problems.

When your iron gets all gunky, it's because when you ironing the starch, instead of ironing the fabric.. I starch every piece of fabric I'm going to work with, at least 2 hours ahead of the time, throw it in a plastic bag, and let it sit, then I'll take it out, either line dry or throw in the dryer for a few minutes, then iron, have never had a problem with the iron getting all gunky then, I do spray mist with water since I don't use the steam on my iron. I use the Sta-Flo and mix 50/50.

I use the home made recipe of vodka, distilled water and to make mine stiffer, I had some Sta-flo starch to it. Just made up a gallon last night to soak my fabrics for the next project. Yes, I soak my fabrics and hang them over the sink to dry over night and then iron them the next day. I use a steam iron but still spray mist them with regular water a little. This also lets me know if I have any bleeders in the bunch of fabrics before hand so I usually start with my lightest fabrics 1st and end with the darkest in case they bleed as it discolors the starch mixture which I will throw out once I'm done. I put just enough in the wash tub to soak the fabrics so I'm not wasting too much. I like my fabrics stiff as a board when I'm working on a project with thin strips in them. Next project is a log cabin using 1.75 wide strips.

I used to spray the starch onto the fabric over my ironing board so got a lot of starch build up on the pad which in turn would burn eventually onto the backside of my fabrics. I quit doing that and have washed my pad cover more frequently.

Thanks for the suggestions! I will probably save myself the trouble and just use the Sta-Flo from now on :)

I use StaFlo all the time, I should own stock in the company. I mix it half with water and it makes all my fabrics for
quilting perfect. Cuts down on stretching when pieces are cut on the bias, piecing it lots easier, etc., etc. Did you get the idea that I starch All my quilting fabrics I cut them out. Yes, before I cut them out because if you starch pieces or block after they are cut out or made they are not a precise.

I'm working on a one block wonder right now and, oh, how I wish I had starched before cutting! This lesson is now ingrained in my brain.

I love the Stay-Flo. I keep my spray bottle in the refrigerator.

It works better if you:
1. spray and let sit a few seconds to soak in.
2. use it hot: either use hot water to make it, or iron the fabric and then spray.
3. spray the entire piece and then iron. (It's all soaked in by then.)
4. dunk entire piece of fabric into diluted starch, let it dry and then iron.