I personally never starch. Even IF I prewash fabric I do not starch. Even fabric from WalMart and Joann's have starch in them. You are washing the starch out and then putting starch back on it. The only time I prewash is if the fabric is black or red. And you can prewash a swatch to see if the fabric is going to run. I also prewash my batiks, but I use a Shout color catcher which works great. I still do not starch the batiks. I know I am going against what many of you do, but I don't want to do more work than I have to.

Pre washing doesn't just remove the starch. It also removes the chemicals used in manufacturing of the fabric. These chemicals can be very irritating to some people and cause allergic reactions in others. So, if I wash out the starch that the manufacturer puts into fabric and then I re-starch my fabric before I use it, it is a small price to pay to keep my skin from turning red, blistering, scaling and itching like crazy. I always and will continue to prewash. There are so many chemicals in our environment today that when there is a chance to reduce our exposure, then it is well worth the effort.

You may be using too much. I tried that brand and ended up with sticky stuff on my iron. I probably was using too much. Now I just use Sizing spray and not Spray Starch.

It should not be "wet" just misted. I think you used too much. :lol: :D :lol:

did you use steam in your iron when you were doing this ? if so maybe you were getting the fabric to wet

I tried a regular spray starch and found it left a residue on my fabrics; I didn't like it. Switched to Mary Ellen's Best Press and have had no problems. I just shake the bottle; spray and press immediately. It works great. Interesting to see some people wait 5 minutes or more. For me, I get the right results just doing the pressing as soon as I spray. I love using it and think it is worth the little extra it cost.

I do yards and yards at a time they take about a good hour to dry depending on where i dry them. (don't have a large space) It is normal though for them to take a bit of time. When I do yardage I will mix together the amounts in a spray bottle and then put fabric in a large mixing bowl and then dump the spray bottle into the bowl with the fabric. then move fabric and squeeze excess water out.it works real well that way and i always check to make sure it is nice and coated in the starch before hanging to dry.

:thumbup:

I love Best Press for the fabulous scents - I would buy Caribbean Beach and Cherry Blossom in perfume form, if I could! :)

But I've found that I prefer liquid starch mixed 50/50 with water in a spray bottle for preparing fabric prior to cutting it.

I soak the fabric, let it almost dry, then steam press it to dry all the way.

When you spray unwashed new all-cotton fabric with any liquid, it's going to curl up and shrink to one extent or another. Some of them seem to hardly shrink at all while others look like Shrinky Dinks plastic in the oven!

What surprised me the most is the difference in shrinkage between the lengthwise and crosswise grain - some of my fabrics have shrunk twice as much along the crosswise as with the lengthwise. What could distortion like that do to your cut and sewn quilt block? :shock:

That's one of the reasons I starch beforehand - to get that shrinkage done before I cut and sew. (and, lazy me, so I don't have to pre-wash! :) )

Any Canadians reading? I have searched high and low and cannot find liquid starch in Canada. I even checked the Nova Scotia stores while I was visiting my dd last month!