Starching or Sizing??? any suggestions??
12-14-2010, 09:26 AM
#41
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,134
Originally Posted by EasyPeezy
By the way, I finally tried Mary Ellen's Best Press. I wasn't too impressed.
It's ok for small jobs. I think I'll keep using my cornstarch mixture. :-D
It's ok for small jobs. I think I'll keep using my cornstarch mixture. :-D
12-14-2010, 09:30 AM
#42
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,458
Originally Posted by misseva
Originally Posted by EasyPeezy
I make my own starch. In a large bowl or pot, stir 1/2 cup cornstarch into
1 cup of cold water. Stir in boiling water (2 quarts for heavy solution;
4 quarts for medium and 6 quarts for light solution).
If you only need a small amount then half or quarter above quantities.
Sometimes I add a bit more water for the heavy solution as it gets
a bit too thick. You can try and adjust as you wish.
When the cornstarch solution is cool, I use a paintbrush to apply it on
my fabric (stir the solution often or shake if it's in a spray bottle).
Let is soak for at least 30 mins. If I don't have time to iron
I just put everything in a ziploc and put it in the fridge for the next day.
If it's too wet I roll the fabric in a towel first and iron on the wrong side
with a cloth on top so that the starch doesn't stick to my iron. When
the heat has absorbed most of the humidity then I continue to iron
without the cloth. Hope this helps.
By the way, I finally tried Mary Ellen's Best Press. I wasn't too impressed.
It's ok for small jobs. I think I'll keep using my cornstarch mixture. :-D
1 cup of cold water. Stir in boiling water (2 quarts for heavy solution;
4 quarts for medium and 6 quarts for light solution).
If you only need a small amount then half or quarter above quantities.
Sometimes I add a bit more water for the heavy solution as it gets
a bit too thick. You can try and adjust as you wish.
When the cornstarch solution is cool, I use a paintbrush to apply it on
my fabric (stir the solution often or shake if it's in a spray bottle).
Let is soak for at least 30 mins. If I don't have time to iron
I just put everything in a ziploc and put it in the fridge for the next day.
If it's too wet I roll the fabric in a towel first and iron on the wrong side
with a cloth on top so that the starch doesn't stick to my iron. When
the heat has absorbed most of the humidity then I continue to iron
without the cloth. Hope this helps.
By the way, I finally tried Mary Ellen's Best Press. I wasn't too impressed.
It's ok for small jobs. I think I'll keep using my cornstarch mixture. :-D
12-14-2010, 01:13 PM
#43
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pittsburg, Kansas
Posts: 1,691
I have learned at our guild to use Sizing. Starch has a protein-base, and moths, ect, are attracted to it. Sizing is not filled with those properties. I have never had any problem with moths finding my quited items.
Good luck!
Mariah.
Good luck!
Mariah.
12-14-2010, 05:41 PM
#44
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: WV
Posts: 819
Originally Posted by EasyPeezy
I make my own starch. In a large bowl or pot, stir 1/2 cup cornstarch into
1 cup of cold water. Stir in boiling water (2 quarts for heavy solution;
4 quarts for medium and 6 quarts for light solution).
If you only need a small amount then half or quarter above quantities.
Sometimes I add a bit more water for the heavy solution as it gets
a bit too thick. You can try and adjust as you wish.
When the cornstarch solution is cool, I use a paintbrush to apply it on
my fabric (stir the solution often or shake if it's in a spray bottle).
Let is soak for at least 30 mins. If I don't have time to iron
I just put everything in a ziploc and put it in the fridge for the next day.
If it's too wet I roll the fabric in a towel first and iron on the wrong side
with a cloth on top so that the starch doesn't stick to my iron. When
the heat has absorbed most of the humidity then I continue to iron
without the cloth. Hope this helps.
By the way, I finally tried Mary Ellen's Best Press. I wasn't too impressed.
It's ok for small jobs. I think I'll keep using my cornstarch mixture. :-D
1 cup of cold water. Stir in boiling water (2 quarts for heavy solution;
4 quarts for medium and 6 quarts for light solution).
If you only need a small amount then half or quarter above quantities.
Sometimes I add a bit more water for the heavy solution as it gets
a bit too thick. You can try and adjust as you wish.
When the cornstarch solution is cool, I use a paintbrush to apply it on
my fabric (stir the solution often or shake if it's in a spray bottle).
Let is soak for at least 30 mins. If I don't have time to iron
I just put everything in a ziploc and put it in the fridge for the next day.
If it's too wet I roll the fabric in a towel first and iron on the wrong side
with a cloth on top so that the starch doesn't stick to my iron. When
the heat has absorbed most of the humidity then I continue to iron
without the cloth. Hope this helps.
By the way, I finally tried Mary Ellen's Best Press. I wasn't too impressed.
It's ok for small jobs. I think I'll keep using my cornstarch mixture. :-D
12-14-2010, 06:56 PM
#46
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1,669
I wouldn't trust the Internet source of the information that said silverfish require high humidity.
I grew up in the desert where the humidity is rarely higher than 30 percent and is frequently lower and my mother was in a constant battle with silverfish.
froggyintexas
I grew up in the desert where the humidity is rarely higher than 30 percent and is frequently lower and my mother was in a constant battle with silverfish.
froggyintexas
12-14-2010, 07:06 PM
#47
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Silsbee, TX
Posts: 56
Leah Day at Daystylesdesign.com has a great video on her website about starching and since I've seen it I haven't had any problems when I starch my fabric. Very detailed info. I was doing it all wrong before. Here's a link to the video: http://www.daystyledesigns.com/starchfabric.htm
12-14-2010, 07:25 PM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 1,079
I have used sizing for years without any problems. I like it much better than starch. I was sandwiching a quilt today using basting spray today and noticed one area just was not sticking at all. I tried it again with the same result...then noticed I was using sizing instead of basting spray!
12-14-2010, 08:25 PM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: North Fork Ca
Posts: 8,234
The trick that works for me is to WAIT a minute or so for the starch or siing to soak in before ironing. It doesn't seem to gunk up as bad, and clean your iron with salt on a dry washcloth every so often
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