grandme26

I make my own spray starch using cornstarch. Cornstarch is cheap and I never run out of starch.

nuffsaid

Hey--does starching help with sewing with slippery fabrics, like lining or silk or satin? Curious to know!

Steady Stiching

Sharon Shamber suggests in one of her videos to spray the back of the fabric and lay that side down against the ironing board and then press the top side, she says this forces the starch into the fabric. I think she's right because it seems when i try and iron the starched side up i get more flaking.

mckwilter

I'd love to have that recipe. Please share.

gmcsewer

I like to use Magic Sizing. It makes the fabric feel like new and does not flake off. I get mine at Walmart.

DebbE

I spray and press on the wrong side of the fabric - so if it flakes a bit it doesn't matter. I like it when it feels like a sheet of paper, as that's when it cuts the best. Used to buy starch, add water and mix and soak my dad's fatiques in it, then iron it dry, as their uniforms had to be extremely crisp when wearing them. Don't think I'd want to go to that length now, but that might be the solution to your problem. Its cheap to buy, and will really make a crisp fabric. One thing to think about though -- if you're having this much trouble with it now, will it hold up in your finished quilt like the rest of the fabrics? I'm thinking probably not.....and it would be a shame to have areas of your finished quilt wear much faster or tear apart. Easier to switch out the fabric now and use a good quality one.

feffertim

one thing to know. Iron the piece before applying the starch as the starch works better on warm fabric

grandme26

Here is the most recent one i googled
1 heaping TBS corn starch
1 pint cold water
1-2 drops essential oil, optional

Mix untill cornstarch is disolved. Place in spary bottle and you are ready to go.

I do it a little different tho, I bring all but 1/4 cup of the water to a boil, I mix the cornstartch in the reserved 1/4 cup of water. When other water comes to a boil I mix together, let cool and then put it is a spray bottle. You can also use a little more of the cornstartch for a stiffer piece of less for a floppy piece.

Pepita

Normally when you are going to iron your fabric, you wet it, or starch it, roll it up and put it in a plastic bag. You then put it in the refigerator--not the freezer, and iron it a day later. If you wait week it is just like the week old mystery food, it molds. So leave it in the fridge 1 night-maybe 2 days, and iron.

If you use spray starch, I suggest turning it over after spraying it as well, but for a different reason. The starch builds up on the top of the cloth and if you iron it it will brown, just like your potatoes in a skillet. If you don't take it off the heat (as in the pan) it burns which is what happens to starch on your iron. So I spray and flip. I also watch my plate of the iron to be sure I am not building up a scorched iron. If you are, get a wash cloth wet it and set it on your ironing board. Then iron the wash cloth, turning it and 'scrubbing' with the cloth. Mine usually go away.

czgrad

LOL! (on fabric in the freezer). Thanks for that morning laugh.
I agree with both "quiltinghere" and "scissor queen".