MissBarkey

How about making your own starch? There was a recipe posted on a similar thread concerning starch some time ago. I copied it down, tried it and was impressed with the results, but have since lost the recipe. Does anyone have one?
Love this forum.

spacebull1

Best Press AND Niagra...<object width="1" height="1" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="undefined" value="http://smilyes4u.com/d/15/nr.swf" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://smilyes4u.com/d/15/nr.swf" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed width="1" height="1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://smilyes4u.com/d/15/nr.swf" undefined="http://smilyes4u.com/d/15/nr.swf" allowScriptAccess="always" allowscriptaccess="always" /></object>

Peckish

Here is Mark Lipinski's recipe - scroll down to tip #3. I think it's almost identical to the one that was posted earlier.

http://www.marklipinski.com/Tulip%20Tips/TTcontent.html

CarrieC

I got a great tip on this board for my "best press" (which I love). I bought a different empty spray bottle with a MUCH finer misting head, I put my best press in that bottle and away I go.

Latrinka

Bounce fabric spray!

jcrow

I had to make hexies and I used Niagara and it made the fabric so stiff that I could take out the paper and sew the pieces together. You are suppose to keep the paper in the hexies until you finish sewing them. I didn't even have to baste them they were so stiff. I usually use Best Press. It seems to be just perfect for my usual piecing. But Niagara works great if you need a lot of stiffness.

Elaine433

I use spray sizing. I never prewash the fabrics. Just before I am ready to cut, I spray with sizing and iron. It gives the fabrics nice body.

fireworkslover

If you spray starch on one side of your fabric, let it soak in, then turn the fabric over and press that side, you won't get the white flakes. If you want it stiffer, spray the side you just pressed, let it soak in, flip it over and press the other side. If you are cutting bias for binding you might want to starch your fabric three times before cutting it. It'll be quite stiff, but that bias will not stretch.

Sharon Schambers uses spray starch on her bindings. If the fabric has starch on it it will stick together, it's easily peeled apart if you need to. Then she'll use glue to attach the binding to the quilt, heat set = NO PINS. I've found that Best Press does not act this way. I do like that Best Press comes in an Unscented.

kelsunshine

Use a pump hairspray bottle. Most of them have a very fine spray.

nstitches4u

I have used Niagra Heavy spray starch and Magic Sizing for years. I recently tried Mary Ellen's Best Press and it is by far my favorite. It doesn't flake on dark fabrics like the starch does.