quiltingforfun

Hi

I do not like using aersol starches, but do want to starch my fabric before cutting. Does anyone have any experience or advice about using starch in a sink? (Im not sure how I would add starch to a front load stacked washer). I was thinking of buying liquid or powdered laundry starch (not available at Target or my local supermarket but Amazon has it), mixing it in the kitchen sink, soaking fabric in it, spinning the fabric in the washer, drying only until damp in the dryer and then ironing.

Snooze2978

I starch all my fabrics before I cut into them. I use a dishpan using Sta-Flo liquid starch and water. I soak each piece starting with the lightest fabric that might not bleed and end with those I think will bleed in case I have to change the starch mixture. I picked up the top section of an old wringer washer and I put that between the 2 sinks so the excess can drain back into the dishpan and the wroung out fabric will go into the other sink. Then I hang them up to dry. Once dried, I mist them using a mixture of vinegar and water as vinegar is supposedly another source to set colors. I installed a 24 x 48" piece of plywood over my ironing board, covered it in batting and that silver heat resistance fabric and press away. By using the wringer gadget, I end up with less wrinkles than if I wroung it out by hand. So far this has worked for me for the past 5-6 years.

When I heard Sta-Flo was going off the market, I went around to all my grocery stores and bought every bottle I could find. You can order it online but it's now at triple the price we used to pay for it.

I used to add Vodka to my starch mixture but you really need to find the Vodka made from potatoes as they have starch in them but it's hard to find or at least I haven't been able to find it.

If you use hot or warm water to your starch mixture, if the fabric is going to bleed or shrink, it should happen then. But I always give a little packet with a couple color catchers with instructions on how to use it with every quilt I gift out in case it wants to bleed again when washed the first couple times.

quiltingforfun

Thank you so much for your detailed response.

ElaineCovid

I mix the liquid starch with water and use a spray bottle to spray it on the fabric. I give it a minute or two to sink in, then I iron it. This has worked well for me for years.

LI_diva

I do exactly the same.

Onebyone

I use vodka and water spray to remove stubborn wrinkles from fabric. It works great. There is no potato starch in vodka made with potatoes. The distilled process removes all starch from the vodka. Buy the cheap vodka mix with 3 parts water, one part vodka. Sta Flo is not made anymore. So I switched to Terial spray. I mix it with water for the stiffness I need. From paper stiffness to ironing spray crisp.

Snooze2978

Onebyone, that's good to know as I've looked high and low for Vodka made with potatoes thinking it's because of the starch. I used to add Vodka to my starch mixture but didn't see much difference using it so stopped.

I also from time to time, will put some of my starch mixture into a spray bottle to use while pressing but since I make such a stiff starch mixture, I haven't had to do that. Still there are some fabrics that will fray no matter what you do to try to stop it from fraying.

cashs_mom

This is how I do it. I use the starch that HEB carries

toverly

I started to make my own with corn starch and water. I saw it on youtube. 2 tbsp Argo cornstarch, 2 cups boiling water. Mix it together and let it cool. Put it in a spray bottle. Keep in the refrigerator. It will flake and probably should not be stored for a long time. But for me, it works perfect for starching as I sew. I wash my quilts immediately after finishing. So it all rinses away.

OurWorkbench

If QB had a like button, I would definitely give it a thumbs up.