How do you starch fabric?
 

I need some advice on how to starch fabric to stabilize it for cutting etc. Do you spray the fabric and then iron it while wet or spray it and let it dry and then iron it? How do you prevent it from flaking or making a mess of your iron and ironing board? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I spray an even coat til just damp and still let it sit for a minute. I wash all my quilts when finished so I couldn't care less about a few flakes.

I, too, spray it until it's pretty damp and then iron. I try to wait a couple of minutes first, but I'm not a patient girl, so it seldom happens. Flakes mean nothing to me because the quilts are always washed and it always comes out.

Any fabric I'm going to work with, I spray starch heavily on the right side of the fabric, put the fabric/s in a plastic bag, and let it sit for a minimum of 2 hours, then I either let it air dry or stick in the dryer for a few minutes, then iron on the wrong side of the fabric. If you do it this way, you very, very rarely will get flaking and your iron won't get all gunky, and consequently, neither will your ironing board. The reason your iron gets all gunky is that the starch hasn't "gotten" into the fabric fibers and you're really only ironing the starch and not the fabric. I also use the concentrated spray starch and mix it 50/50 in a spray bottle, it goes a lot further than the canned starch.

I agree with pocoellie . From those of us who grew up really iron everything, allowing the item to sit and absorb the starch is critical to a good crisp finish and will eliminate flaking. Some would even tell you to "refrigerate" the cloth. I do not place mine in a plastic bag as pocoellie does, but I do roll it tightly and let it absorb the starch and moisture then iron while still slightly damp.

I, too, mix my spray starch 50/50 for my quilting fabrics to prepare for cutting. When I finish a block and do the final pressing on it before assembling my quilt I use a light mist of Best Press mixed 50/50 with water

multiple applications of spray starch with ironing in between will make a stiffer fabric.

I only use Best Press. Spray and iron. No flakes. Ever.

It depends on how much fabric I am cutting. Some I immerse in the starch solution and dry on a laundry rack. Small , "I need it now pieces" , I spray let it soak for a minute or two then iron.

I agree with this. I don't wait a long time, maybe half a minute or so, for the fabric to absorb the starch. Flaking is caused by the starch sitting on top of the fabric; when the iron is run across the fabric, it hits the starch, evaporates the water, and what is left on top of the fabric and your iron is dried flakes of starch.

Best Press is a clarified starch product that contains a surfactant that allows the liquid to soak into the fabric faster. You might find that it's worth the extra cost to you.

I agree with all above but I iron on wrong side as I hate seeing flakes on the front.