Do any of you use the "commercial" starches? Ones used in laundry/dry cleaning facilities. Have tried everything from cheapest to most expensive - all brands, Not happy with any of them. Would prefer non aresol (sp). How do you use. Completely saturate press dry, etc.

I usually either p/u Sta Flo and mix 50/50 or make my own.

I prefer sizing

I use Mary Ellen's Best Press and only that. I use it because it's a starch alternative and will not attract bugs. Plus since it's not a starch it doesn't have the flaking problems starch has.

I love Mary Ellen's but don't use it often. Too expensive. I use Niagra non-areosol spray for my quilts most often. I have been cutting up men's shirts to make quilts with and use home-made starch for them. I found Argo Laundry starch at a little home-town grocery store. I make a big batch and dip all the fabric, wring it out and put it into the drier. When its almost completely dry, I take it out and iron them. They store them Rubbermaid totes til I am ready to use them.

I have used Sta-flo, Magic Sizing, and Niagara Start on lots of fabric and had it stored in totes, drawers and boxes for long periods of time and not had any bugs. Not sure why I have been lucky, it may be because it is hot out here and not muggy. I didn't know that there was a heavier commercial starch. It would be interesting to test it out and see if it does make a difference. I have settled on the Sta-flo because I can make it as strong or as light as I want it for any given project and it flakes the least for me.

One blog site (that I can't find for you) has the person spray her fabric and then place it in the refrigerator over night so that the starch will soak into the fabric real well. When I was little my mother would sprinkle her cotton with water, roll it up, put in a stack and start ironing the first sprinkled item. I guess this is the same concept.

Good luck on your search.

I use Mary Ellen's Best Press.

I like Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch because it's easy to mix to the strength you want. The strongest I use it is in a 1:1 ratio with water (equal parts of both).

I use this strength for backing fabric, for fabric I plan to cut into bias strips, and for foundation fabric for machine applique. (The foundation fabric comes out stiff enough that I do not have to use a stabilizer underneath for the machine applique.)

My method is to "paint" the starch solution on the fabric. My kitchen island is the right size and height, and I use a regular wall painting brush for the "painting". I paint until the fabric is saturated with the solution, then toss in the dryer and later iron with steam.

Sta-Flo can also be mixed with water to use in a hand spray bottle. I haven't used it this way yet.

I don't typically use aerosol spray starch for a couple of reasons: (1) I always get overspray, which I don't like, and (2) I never seem to wait long enough for the starch to soak into the fabric. This is especially a problem because I do not prewash fabric; spray starch tends to just sit on the surface and not get absorbed into the fibers. Ironing it this way results in flaking or scorching. (3) I always seem to use too hot of an iron on the unsoaked-in spray starch, so I end up scorching the starch and gunking up the bottom of my iron.

A quilting friend showed me how to make lavendar scented starch from Walmart's spray starch.
A lot cheaper than Mary Ellen's (which I like , but too dear)

I make my own for piecing..

1 part (ie., 1 cup) concentrated Sta Flo starch
1 Part (ie., 1 cup) Water
1 part (ie., 1 cup) Liquid Frebreeze (any scent will do,my favorite is lavender)

Shake/mix real well and pour in a spray bottle..

Its cheaper but for finishing touches I use Best Press...

will you share the formulae with us

I've used concentrated starch that I diluted and even started adding a tiny bit of softener after reading about it here.

I was surprised on a recent trip to Target that they had 'name brand' starch for 98 cents. I thought it was a good deal since another can cost me $2.29 at a local grocery store.

I make my own starch from Linit liquid starch. It can be mixed to be as thick or diluted as you like, so you can choose how stiff you want your pressed pieces to be.

I use only Mary Ellen's Best Press for all the above reasons I love the no flake part, especially on solid or dark colors.
Karen

I use the Sta-Flo and dilute 50/50, I mix in a spray bottle, spray the fabrics I'm going to use, then let it sit for at least 2 hours, then toss in the dryer for a few minutes or let it air dry.

I make this recipe for starch and really like it.
2 parts linen water
1 part distilled water
1 part liquid starch

It lasts forever.

I don't use starch except for applique. If pressing and a crease won't come out I use vinegar & water. Liked Best Press but it is pricey.

I make my own with cornstarch. I like this recipe: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf000575.tip.html but there are dozens of variations available on line.

If you would like to starch the old way, mix some up in a wash basin, usually 50/50 or stiffer if you would like, put your fabric in there, soak, and then dry, this is the way we used to do it. Then you use a water mister, iron as usual. But now days, I use a spray bottle Sta-Flo starch,and spray it that way. Be sure and let it rest a little before ironing, you won't have the flakes, or if I am in a hurry I usually run my hand over sprayed area, this too keeps it from flaking.

Good luck.

Rita

I may be the only one that doesn't like Mary Ellens. I like a firm starched fabric and I find it only gives a light finish. If you like it watch for 40-50% off coupons from JoAnn's. It's only available on line from them. It was also a free shipping special for over $35.
If anyone has a better way to use it other than spray as ironing please let me know since I have a gallon sitting on the shelf. Thanks.

I've used them all from homemade starch to Mary Ellens. I like Faultless Lavender Professional MAXX spray starch the best. It's in a 20 oz pump spray bottle and cost $1.88 at Walmart. Niagara starch does not flake much at all so I use that for darker fabrics.

I wonder if adding a little water to the spray it would make a nice wrinkle releaser for clothes, drapes, fabric, .... It's not a starch so it should work.

Be careful with starches on your quilts...I use MaryEllens Best Press..it is actually made from the same natural products our greatgrandmothers used..the regular starches you get today like StaFlo etc will attracked silver fish and moths and can eat into your fabrics in the years that come..you can research it on the internet and read about it..thats how I found out..that is one reason so many quilts of the new years (in the past 50) have not made it as long as the ones from a 100 years ago...check it out...I believe I first read about it on Quilter Unversity...but that was a few years ago..but you can check for yourself and see what is being said now...I do love Best Press thought..blessings

Try making your own starch. 1-2 tbsp corn starch (available at the grocery store); 2 cups water. Make this small amount at one time because it has a shelf life of about weeks. Very inexpensive and works really well for me.

I always use Sta-Flo, mix it half and half with water.. put it in a hand sprayer and keep on my ironing board.

I've never ever had a bug on anything nor any holes or evidence of anything, ever.. I've been doing it for years. I'm beginning to think that the starch/bug thing is an old wives tale..

after reading bearlea's post I guess I've been lucky.. don't know why the little critters haven't done anything to my quilts.. Maybe they like art quilts??

This is why I said check for yourself...it might be an old wives tale for all I know for sure..but I did read it a few years ago on a well known quilt site..so I thought I would post the information just in case..blessings

I use Niagara when I starch. Walgreens regularly has it on sale for 99 cents.

I don't starch my fabric until I get ready to use it. I guess if a quilt is made from starched fabric and not washed and stored away for years it would attract some bugs to the starch. At least the bugs are getting some use out of the quilt, no one else would be.

Why let it dry and toss in the dryer? I thought that is why you spray and then iron. What does putting it in the dryer do? Is there a difference between ironing then or waiting?

I remember my grandma sprinkling the cloths with a coke bottle with a top on it and putting it in the fridge for ironing later. Don't know what was in the bottle, but remember seeing the clothes in the fridge as a young child.

I prefer sizing.

Ditto! Best Press or if I have run out, sizing. No starch for the bug attraction reason. Mary Ellen's is rather expensive, but my philosophy is "You get what you pay for." I'll do without something if I have to. Just me.

Once I started using Mary Ellens , I have not used anything else. I hate how others mess up the bottom of my expensive iron. Buy it at Handcocks or on line.

To easily clean the bottom of your iron use a Mr Clean Magic Eraser on a cold iron. Works great.

I was taught, after washing & drying fabric, lay it out flat and then sprinkle. Roll up tightly and place in refrigerator until cold. Use a hot steam iron and a cold roll of fabric.

Place fabric on the ironing board and press using as little starch as needed. Is this right? Cold damp fabric does iron nicely.

Where do you get starch substitute?

You were taught well! Was taught the same thing and it made going into the refrigerator interesting. We put it in the refrigerator if we could not get to it that day to prevent "souring" or maybe mold. If it was going to be longer my mom was known to put it in the freezer...we had an upright.

My mother didn't work while I was growing up and did ironing for a lady that worked with my dad. She did the same thing. She's been gone for six years now and I have her water sprinkler. It's an old 7-up bottle with the cork stopper sprinkle head. It's on the shelf in my sewing room. Brings back a lot of good memories everytime I see it.

I'm glad you started this thread, I've been wondering about starches, sizing ,etc.

Stefanib: Many quilters use starch to make the fabric stiff. This helps make a cleaner and more accurate cut by the blade of the cutter. It also makes fussy cutting more precise.

I love thatMary Ellens. I don't care how much it costs its worth the price. If you can find the refill jugs it helps. My fav quilt fabric shop will refill your spray bottle for a discount price. I really like the stuff , I even use it on some of my blouses. First time I used it I was shopping and I kept thinking a lady sure had a nice perfume on. When I got into my car I realized it was me! LOL My blouse was giving off the wonderful fragrance.