I think i "over iron"
 

I am working on a twister heart wall hanging for my grammy and I noticed that some of the white fabric has turned a smidge brown. :mad:

I iron and starch before I cut, sew, press the seam, stitch again and press the seam. I don't think this is too much is it?:confused:

I bought a vintage iron and I wonder if it is too hot. I am thinking I will go back to my vintage travel iron for pressing seams.

I don't believe you can over iron ... the more/better ironing, at every step of the way ... the better finished project IMHO.

Though if you're starching, the build up of starch can brown the fabric. When that happens, it's usually a sign that I need a new/clean ironing board cover and/or wash the bottom of my iron off well.

If it is an older iron I would be willing to bet that you have scorched your fabric a little. The newer irons don't hardly get hot enough to scorch anything, which isn't the case with older ones....they seemed to get a lot hotter.

I was always a firm believer in "the hotter, the better". Then I noticed that some of my fabrics weren't returning to their original colors after cooling off. I noticed this on a bright red fabric and after I ironed it, it was a dull darker red. I have now turned down the heat on my iron and if I have a really stubborn wrinkle or seam and spritzing it with Best Press or water isn't getting it out, I will turn up the heat just to do that part and then immediately turn it back down.

Also, with starching, sizing, Best Press, etc. it is recommended that you allow the spray to soak into the fibers before ironing. Sometimes it will still be on the surface and your iron can burn it.

I learned the hard way that "the hotter the better" can mean a nasty scorch on the fabric!

ESPECIALLY with a dry iron!!!

I've also pressed/ironed over enthusiastically and stretched the fabric out of shape - especially when it was soggy with starch or sizing.

I have learned a great deal by doing things bass-ackwards over the years!!

I make a lot of Twister patterns. I don't starch any part of my process. I do iron every step though.

Try washing a piece of the scorched fabric....if you starched it heavily, it may be just the starch that's scorched....

I've starched a Twister quilt, but only because the finished blocks were 1".

I'm with Charlee, give that a try, then turn the heat down a notch or two.

I wouldn't use the starch. EVery time I do, I find I'm at much greater risk of scorching. and not starching does not affect my accuracy at all.

Thanks ladies I feel much better knowing I am not the only one. I have a vintage 1950 GE iron that apparently gets a lot hotter then my piece of cr*p Rowenta. I have now turned the iron down one setting and that seems to help. I need to remember to let the starch "soak in" before ironing, I tend to iron immediately and that seems to be my problem.

Just a quick thought. Perhaps you should check all your white ironed fabric prior to piecing it to be sure you aren't piecing any of the discolored pieces into the quilt. It is always easier to replace a piece before putting the quilt together than after the quilt is all assembled. :) Good luck & be sure to share pictures when finished.