Using starch
 

How stiff do you want the fabric to be when using starch? I’m going to be making some mini blocks and want them to be as perfect as possible. Also I’m going to be using a lot of homespun which has a tendency to stretch easily.
Thanks in advance.

I tend to lightly starch my fabrics only enough to hold it in place while cutting.

You will get many different response's at the end of the day I highly suggest that you experiment with a block or 2 to see what works best for you. I starch before I cut any fabric, I starch after piecing components of a block, I starch each block after its assembled, and I starch my top when its done as I am pressing the seams for the rows. I can fold a completed top and it will never crease or wrinkle. I use a lot of starch! For me, I can’t piece without it.

I never starch any fabrics.

It depends on what I'm doing. For normal quilting, I just starch lightly, but if I'm doing half square triangles or anything involving bias, I starch the living daylights out of it. I did a pattern that was similar to a one block wonder and had a lot of bias edges. I starched it til it was like pieces of copy paper. When I put the blocks together, I had no problems with bias.

I use the Quilter's Moonshine recipe but add liquid Sta-Flo to make it even more stiff. I like my fabric to be as stiff as possible so there's less possible chance of it stretching when pressing and during construction.

I agree- the smaller the pieces the more starch.

I am with you. Starch is a best friend for me.

I use my Accuquilt for most of my cutting. i use Terial Magic spray and it get the fabric stiff as paper. I dilute it for less stiffness. For full strength I use a pressing cloth to keep the iron clean. I use Sta flo mixed with water and vodka for crispness. The ironing sprays are wimpy.