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.

If I have ALOT of fabric to do, I soak it in 50/50 water starch mixture , squeeze it to get out excess then hang it to dry, then iron.

If I am only working with a few pieces I use spray starch. Spray it on one side of the fabric, flip the fabric over and iron on the opposite side. Once I have ironed that side dry I spray that side, flip it over and iron the opposite side again. This way I am never ironing on the side that I sprayed on. No flakes !

Thanks everyone who said to let the starch soak in. When I saw this, I thought of course I know how to starch but apparently no, I didn't!

When I was growing up, we ironed everything, sheets, pillowcases, dish towels, my dad's boxer shorts! And my mom spritzed things with water and kept a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Boy things have changed!.....or not!

If you try to iron a soppingly wet starched piece, stretching is a possibility.i

Thank you so much for asking this question. I have starch sitting on my shelf, unused, because I wasn't quite sure how best to use it. As always, this group of great quilters is always willing and ready with the answers!

I just went through a "starching phase." In the end, I decided that I didn't like using starch. The starch changes the feel of the fabric and I love to feel the fabric while quilting. I did, however, find starching useful when working with cheap or thin fabrics, or when I have a lot of difficulty putting a block together or have tiny pieces. But I now just use Best Press when I need it as I don't need to wait for the starch to get absorbed by the fabric.

I use magic sizing and just spray it and iron it. I don't time it or wait or let it dry or put it in a bag. If it's not stiff enough I repeat it. I don't have patience to wait.

Coming from an Heirloom background I used a LOT of starch for sewing techniques. The way I was taught was multiple layers. Spray just until damp, with your hands kind of press/pat the starch into the fabric, let it stand for a few moments so the starch can penetrate the fabric fibres, then press on the other side of the fabric. Letting the starch penetrate the fabric and pressing on the opposite side you sprayed will alleviate the starch sticking to your iron and won't leave all the flakiness because the starch has penetrated the fabric fibres. HTH

I really like to cut stiff fabric. I spray my fabric with a heavy starch, then put the fabric in a plastic bag. This goes into the freezer for several hours or overnight. If the fabric is not stiff enough when I am ironing it, I spray again, wait a few minutes and iron. If I am pressing fabric that had been sewn, I use Mary Ellen's Best Press. I love Best Press and use it by the gallon!

What does the freezer do? Doesn't the frozen starch just thaw when the hot iron hits it? My dh and kids would probably be very confused if they went to get a snack and a bag of fabric was in there. LOL

There are great u tube videos
Somone the other day posted one about using starch to baste q locks she also had a great one on starch I learned to spray and turn it over to iron. I can`t find this one. Maybe someone remembers.
Ga

I use 50/50, too. I spray the back first and then spread it with my hands, turn the fabric over and press. Then I so the opposite. It makes it really stiff and there are no flakes. Also, having it starched well makes FMQ smoother and when washed any markings for quilting come off with the starch.

Don't starch stored fabrics as it may draw silverfish.
D

love_2_quilt-I have never had a problem with my starched fabric drawing silverfish. I do think that if you have a problem with the silverfish or other bugs, that you shouldn't store your starched fabric. I also don't usually have a lot of unused starched fabric.

The bug issue is why I never use real starch. Magic Sizing doesn't have whatever bugs are attracted to according to the company.

Wow...Great thread...always learning something new.

Now don't laugh at me, but this is how I starch my fabrics from half yds to larger pieces to smaller pieces. First I put down an old bed sheet on the floor or outside on my back deck, then I make up a 50/50 starch solution, I use Sta Flo from a jug. I put my mixture into this wonderful hand sprayer, adjust the spray mist nozzle and just spray my fabrics. If it is a nice day outside, I will hang my pieces on the clothesline to dry up a bit because sometimes if I do a heavy starch it may be a little drippy. If the weather is not good outside then I take my starched pieces and toss them into the dryer on air only and dry them for a few minutes. This does not harm your dryer. You can find these great little sprayers in the garden area of your favorite store. Mine came from WM. [ATTACH=CONFIG]465417[/ATTACH]

I use best press, spray until damp, and iron away, I don't wait and I don't get flakes either.

Wow, I just spray from the can and press...lol....

I use Sta-flo and mix a 50/50 solution. Have a cheapy spray bottle. Spray onto the fabric until quite damp. Wait a minute or two until it's totally absorbed and iron away. I don't get flakes at all. Much prefer the sta-flo to the aerosol sprays.

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. I think I need to be a little more patient between the spraying and the ironing. Two tips that I have picked up in addition to all of these here on this thread is to put down a piece of fabric, like cheap muslin, over your ironing board to protect it from any residue and then it is easily removed for laundering. The second tip is to use a magic eraser (like Mr. Clean brand or other) on your cold iron and it will clean all the gunk off. I do not have a coated sole plate on my iron so I don't know if it would hurt that or not but it works like a charm on a metal sole plate. I certainly will try and wait more between spritzing and pressing.

I spray on the wrong side and wait for several minutes/hours to iron. I always keep Iron Off close by.

I don't starch at all. I just cut carefully, don't stretch when sewing, and press every seam. I just don't see any need to starch.

I had to check out this thread because what I do is so easy and works, I was wondering. When I started out, I didn't starch at all. As I've been trying to learn and present my best work, I like the starch look. I use Best Press starch.

I'm one of those pre wash people unless it's Northcott, Benartex or Marcus Bros fabric. I spray it on before I cut so the fabric is crisp and ready to be cut. Also I spray when I set the seam and press open the block. I had never heard of flaking nor have I ever had a problem with it. Never had a problem with Best Press building up on my iron.

I'm going to have to buy a sprayer like this. I use cheapy sprayers, and they seem to stop working too soon.
I use 50/50 Stay Flo and water, and don't wait long enough to iron it. But I try to spray from one side to the other, then start ironing at the side I started on. Gives it a little time to soak in. Works beautifully. No flakes. But I have to be sure to shake up the bottle each time. The starch sinks to the bottom and comes out first.

I heard about these sprayers a few years ago from Vicki Lawler's "Sky Dyes" video and LOVE them. Great for quilting and also for laying down a light water misting when damp "swiffing" floors. Easy on the hands too. Tip: don't fill it all the way -- gets heavy!

I'm fortunate to have a sink down in my sewing room so I hang my fabrics up over the sink and spray away, let dry and then iron. I spray on the wrong side and iron on the right side so no flakes. If I'm in a hurry like yesterday I will spray right there on my ironing board but I try to overlap my fabrics so not as much will fall on the ironing board itself. Still spray on the wrong side, let it set 5-10 minutes and then come back to iron.

I try to estimate how much of each fabric I'll need with a little overlap in case of miss cuts, then spray everything at one time and let it hang over the sink to drip if that's the case. I make my own starch mixture using the vodka method with added liquid starch as I like a crisp texture.

I just watched a tute about spraying. Yup spray then turn over and iron on the other side. Thanks for the tip on mixing Best Press 50/50. Her name was Leah that did the tute.

I like best press too, it leaves no residue. Always iron the fabric first as the heat helps the starch to penetrate the fabric better. Spray on the back side of the fabric to avoid any flakes (altho you won't get any with best press)

I like to use Magic Sizing instead of starch because it does not build up on my iron and I don't get flaking. It is found next to spray starch when shopping.

go to Slightlyoffquilter.com There are 2 excellent video's about starching your fabric