Gelswood

I starch also. I am now using Mary Ellen's but it is expensive. My friend told us about her husband who used to be in the Navy and irons everything in sight. (Yes HIM.) He bought a small bottle of Mary Ellen's and used it in a week and a half. He went back and bought a gallon ($52 here). The only thing I see about Mary Ellen's is it doesn't dhow at all of black or dark fabric.

penski

starch starch starch that is my motto for getting material ready for cutting!!!!! i use Niagra spray starch and have never had a problem with the needle gumming up i also wash my quilts after they are complete for 2 reasons,, one to make sure they stay together !! and the other is if i pit them in a quilt show one of the requirements is that they be cleaned before bringing them in

lfw045

Hubby has a green thumb so I'll have to get him to grow some lavender for me.....great idea! I love the scent too!

raptureready

I used to use spray starch but I had a problem with the nozzle clogging or just spraying a jet stream instead of a mist. I switched to Mary Ellen's Best Press and don't believe I'll ever go back to the other. It comes in several different scents and unscented too. Plus, you can buy large bottle so refill the small pumps.

zz-pd

I use niagara it is cheap and dose a good job. I have never used the other brands. I cant afford them. Penny

sewmom

I think thAt its really important to wash out the starch after the quilt is finished as starch attracks silverfish. They think starch tastes like candy!! I don't know if the lavender would repell them-hopefully it would.

Clueless Quilter

A while ago I bought some of the non-aerosol Niagra at Targets and really liked it. It was just a couple of dollars for a 16 oz. bottle that lasted much much longer than an aerosol can of starch. Unfortunately, my husband and I have allergies to fragrances and smell was just too much.

I have mixed my own Sta-flo and liked it okay but did get some flaking when ironing.

Today I bought some Mary Ellen's Best Press am my LQS but haven't had a chance to try it yet.

Here is a recipe that I haven't tried yet but it was highly recommend, it uses corn starch. The original instructions called for cooking it but the girl that gave it to me said she just mixes it but makes sure she shakes it well while using.

12 oz water
3/4 tablespoon cornstarch
3 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

Mix well in a measuring cup and pour into a spray bottle

masick

Hi everyone. This is my first time on the message board. I just started quilting about 9 months ago and just love it. So far, I have only got one quilt done because I had a major medical problem right in the middle of doing it. I just finished the top of a quilt that I am making for my mom. It is going to have a skirt attached to it. (will hopefully look like a fitted bedspread when complete). I need verification that I now layer the quilt, then I add binding, then I do the outside border and this is what the skirt is attached to. Does this sound correct? Oh, and by the way, I started using starch 1/2 way through my first quilt, and it made the fabric a lot easier to handle.

SherriB

Masick, Welcome to the boards!! I am a fairly new quilter and wish I could answer your question.

If you use the Niagra spray starch in the bottles, they are great bottles to use for other things also. I use an empty bottle for my Mary Ellen's (I bought the gallon jug) and also for Sta-Flo that I mix myself. I even keep one with just water in it. After I learned about how much starching can help, I became a huge starch addict! LOL!!!

zz-pd

Hi masick and welcome to the board from Oregon. Penny