I have witnessed 2 miracles this week: Sta Flo Starch (Heavy) and Bloc-Loc Ruler!!!
 

Yes, I know this sounds tongue and cheek and my appologies if it sounds offensive but I am completely serious.

I had been using the Sta Flo starch for a few weeks at about half strength but decided to try something stronger and wow, wow, wow. The fabric behaves so nicely at every step--when cutting, when handling and when piecing. It made a huge different in the accuracy of everything. Truly amazing.

The Loc-Bloc rulers for trimming half square triangles are really, really great. While I don't keep the ruler placed and spin my fabric (I prefer to pick up my fabric and reposition the ruler), they live up to every single praise and promise I have heard. The amount of time it takes to make sure your diagonal line on your regular ruler is positioned just over the seam line and hold the ruler still so it doesn't move around is completely eliminated!!! And, the lines to measure the bottom and right side of your square are really nice fine lines--very easy to see that you are right on the edge--not like the thick yellow lines that are on the omigrid rulers that I have. I can't say enough good things about this ruler. I purchased the 3 pack of 2 1/2, 4 1/2 and 6 1/2 but quickly discovered that I really only need the 6 1/2 ruler as I like to have enough room for my palm and fingers to spread out holding the ruler down and then not feel like they are right at the edge and in danger of being cut by my trimmer.

If you struggle a bit with trimming HST or just want to make the process much more efficient, I highly recommend this ruler. Now, I am hoping to see if I can use it on a hourglass block and have good results.

I'm so glad you posted this! I started my Farmers Wife quilt this week and the only part I'm having problems with is trimming all the HST. I watched the videos and this looks like it could make a big difference! I think I'll look for the 6 1/2 in ruler-thanks for the post!

I agree!!! I love my bloc locs! Pricey, but they really work. I have the 3 pack and use all 3 sizes. Have a turn table mat. So convenient.

Thanks for the recommendations!

Very cool. Sounds like another tool I need.

I put a piece of thick plastic on the 45 degree line on my 6.5" square ruler with double sided sticky tape and it works just fine for trimming up my HST's

I have used the tape method too but it was a bother. I use the Bloc Loc ruler a lot. To me it is an essential ruler.

I use heavy starch for all my fabric. My fabric is like paper when I cut and sew it. It helps when the pieces are small or on bias.

BellaBoo, I am curious how you get your fabric to be like "paper". By using the Sta-Flo at almost full strength (about 4 or 5 parts starch to 1 part water), I could barely pump it out of my sprayer. How are you applying the starch and how thorough? I spray it but don't completely drench every inch of fabric.

I really like my Bloc-Locs

Looks like I need to put a new ruler on my list of must haves! I just saw this ruler on another thread this morning and thought it was very interesting. Thanks for the info in it.

And the starch - I used it for doing my applique as seen here: http://erinrussek.typepad.com/one-pi...lique-lessons/ Another plus- it's inexpensive - roughly $3 for either a 48 or 64 oz jug.

I should own stock in Sta-Flo starch, have been using it in half starch-half water for several years. Before cutting anything , I spray my fabric wet, wet with it and then iron it dry. Wonderful ! ! ! Anyone that has not tried it want believe the difference.

I'm a starch girl too, it just turns weak fabric into something more managable. Thanks for the recommendation on the rulers, with so many out there it's nice to hear that one holds up to it's promises.

Neat AngelinaMaria! You've got me very interested in the ruler! Starching truly does make a huge difference. My fabric turns out as easy to handle as paper too. I saturate my fabrics in a bucket with the starch at 50 Stay Flo /50 H2O, then gently squeeze out the excess starch and then hang them over cafe curtain rods to let them air dry. When it is time to iron, just ever so lightly mist the fabric with water.

I love my Bloc-Loc ruler, especially since this BOM I am finishing has a lot of HST. It has been so much easier to trim and check them with it.

I like my Best Press, especially since I have some allergies to fragrances.

Well, now there ya' go - making me need something I didn't even know existed!!! lol And I too love StaFlo

I love my Sta-Flo too, but ladies - what's your secret to working with those heavily starched fabrics and not getting a mess? I find that when I starch and then iron, my iron sticks to the fabric. Do you spray the starch, then wait a minute before ironing? Does the starch make your iron a complete mess (like mine)? I am constantly cleaning the iron and then five minutes later, it's a mess again. Any tips? Or is this the usual? (I just discovered the liquid starch a short while ago so I'm still learning!)

Donna, start by starching one side of your fabric and giving it a minute to soak in. I fold my fabric up into 4th and then press on it with my hands to push to starch into the fabric better. Then flip it over and iron from the other side first. Then go back to the starched side and give it a good press. This should eliminate the mess you are having. Gina

Thank you, Gina! I'm going to try that tonight and see what happens. I would love to spend more time sewing than cleaning my iron! :)

Hi Guys,

Does anybody know where I can buy the bloc loc's in the UK! I have googled to no avail!!!!!

Hugs

Caroline

Caroline, I don't have a clue where to get them in the UK, here in the USA not all quilt stores carry them! You might try contacting their head office and they should be able to let you know where/if they are available in your area... don't know if they come in metric.

I only have one as they are so very expensive.........wish I had thought of it and produced this item!!!

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm lazy. If I iron, I have always used spray starch or sizing. However, I hardly ever wash my fabrics before I cut.

I love my 6 1/2" Bloc-Loc Ruler. Can't praise it enough. I just learned an old method of making 8 HSTS at a time on another thread:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...w-t230816.html

With these two things I am becoming a master of HSTs. I am doing the happy dance.
peace

ube--I have been using the 8 HST at a time method for a while and love how quickly and accurately the squaring up process is now with the Bloc-Loc ruler. While these are pricey, I think you really only need the 6 1/2 inch one or maybe the next larger size if you do a lot of larger HST as well. As I mentioned above, I like to have room for my hand to rest on the template and the little 2 1/2 one doesn't leave room for more than a finger.

Now I'd love to hear from anyone that has the flying geese Bloc-Loc's. I had to make a bunch of these for my last quilt and found the squaring up very tedious and had to stay very sharp to do it accurately.

I was reading a blog several weeks back that posted she didn't really recommend the rulers for the flying geese. Something about the method she used for making them and the valid point that you do have to buy the ruler for the specific size so multiple rulers would be required.

I'm happy to hear the recommendations on Bloc Locs, as I just ordered a set yesterday!

As far as flying geese go, I love the Wing Clipper. There are 2 sizes; each does multiple sized of flying geese.

I was really interested to read about the Bloc-Loc rulers.
I am hoping they have them at the Houston Quilt Show so I can see them "personally".

Try Ebay UK

I'm like you #1 Piecemaker...I spray all my fabric fold it or roll it and place it in a plastic bag and let it sit for a couple of hours...the starch is absorbed in the fibers and doesn't lay on top like when you first spray...then I press it. no sticking or buildup on the iron..

Thank you for the hint on using the stronger strength starch. I'm going to increase the strength of mine.

Heavy starch
 

[QUOTE=DonnaC;6350460]I love my Sta-Flo too, but ladies - what's your secret to working with

There are couple of things I do and never have a messy iron. I almost never have to clean it.
First, warm up the fabric with the iron. Spray on the starch (1/2 & 1/2), heavy or light spray. Use a REALLY hot iron. I have 4 old general electric DRY irons. (Different colors!) No holes on the sole plate. Use the cotton setting. Hot! Never sticks unless you haven't let the iron heat up enough.
If you have to pieces of fabric that you want to cut at the same time or sew together, starch them together and iron them together.
If the starch sticks to the iron or flakes, you iron isn't hot enough. Of course, this is for cotton fabric.
Hope this helps.
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Do you all use the BlocLoc only for HST or can you use them for just squaring up blocks?