I read a lot on this board about starching. Someone recently wrote something like: I starch, starch, starch, and starch some more.

I usually spray starch on as I'm pressing my fabric, but only once. I'm curious how the rest of you use starch. Maybe I'm missing something.

I saturate my fabric with starch, let it dry and then press my fabric. If it is not stiff enough for what I am doing (like bias cuts), I will starch it again. Sometimes as I am pressing my blocks I will add a little more if it needs it.

Heavily starching long strips can keep them from bowing when sewing and pressing them, it keeps bias from stretching, my hex blocks did not distort at all when making OBW's.

Cutting starched fabric is easier for me too. It seems to help the fabric "stick" to the cutting mat better and my ruler grips it better too.

Starch also helps when pressing seams, they stay better and I don't have to keep pressing the same seams over and over as the blocks/quilt top progresses. It also only takes one sweep of the iron to get a seam pressed, other wise I sometimes have to go over it again which can cause distortion.

I don't think you can ever use too much starch, too little? Yes!!! :D:D:D

I'm with amma, i use a lot of starch

I rarely use any starch. Typically finger press til the block is done, then iron.

This starching topic is interesting. Just started using some starch yesterday to hold my seams open...it really worked well! Will have to use it for other situations. Thanks every one on this thread and others!

I'm sorry if I sound dumb, but how do you do this? Do you put it in a sink/tub/washer? I'm a starching ignoramus and don't know a thing about it. Do you dilute it? Use it full strength? Do you saturate the fabric before or after cutting? What brand do you like?

Thanks for your help on this.

I seldom starch/size.

When I do, the fabric stretches.

I feel that if the fabric is too flimsy to be used without starch, forget it!

Exception: When I was fussy-cutting kite shapes for a kaleidoscope type block.

I have never starched and when I was helping my mommy friend make her daughters blanket I had her starch very heavily. It was a world of difference. I just couldn't believe how nice and crisp the corners were coming out.

It is an additional step or two, but I have never been unhappy with the end results :wink:

That is why I started letting the starch thoroughly dry first, when any fabric is damp it can stretch/distort.
I don't use it because of flimsy material, I use it because I like the way the material handles when it is really crisp. :D:D:D