Joan in AK

I know that a lot of quilters use starch and that it helps to get accurate blocks, but I am never sure when to apply starch. For example, if I have a big piece of yardage, I may cut a yard or half yard piece at a time for my strips. Do I starch that yard or half yard piece? What about when using fat quarters, or jelly rolls or charm squares? If I sew jelly roll strips together, and nothing has been previously starched do I apply starch?
When my block has been put together and the pieces were starched, do I starch again?
This is probably elementary to many, but not to me.
I would very much appreciate thoughts on this.
Thanks

bearisgray

It is a good question.

I usually do not use starch/ sizing - but i did resort to using it to make a hand pieced top hold its press.

Neuras

I starch prior to cutting & while piecing.

PaperPrincess

I usually only starch if there are going to be off grain cuts, like triangles, trapezoids etc. I would starch as you go as it's best not to store fabric that has been starched. So you have a yard or two of fabric and you need 1/2 yard for your project, I would just starch the half yard. I wash pre cuts, but only starch if cuts will be off grain. so if i'm doing a jelly roll race, I probably wouldn't starch. If I'm sewing strips together, then going to cut the strips into triangles, I would starch the strata (so after sewing the strips together).
As far as starching blocks goes, if they are wonky & don't want to lay flat & square, I will use a bit of spray starch, but usually you don't need anything additional.
As in all quilting techniques, do whatever works for you. If you don't starch now, try it on your next project. If you like it, continue. You might find that it doesn't aid you in piecing, so you can omit this step.

Joan in AK

Thank you, especially to Paper Princess for your in depth answer.

Joan in AK

Paper Princess when you say you wash precuts do you mean fat quarters, charm squares,and jelly rolls? If you do, how do you do it? Do you put them in lingerie bags?

Prism99

Typically, if you are going to starch, you want to starch before cutting. Starch stabilizes fabric so that it does not as easily stretch or distort while handling. This means it helps while cutting, and also while piecing.

The only thing about starching pre-cuts is that they might shrink. Shrinkage is not a problem once a top is quilted to batting and backing. However, if your pre-cuts shrinks before you use them, they might shrink too much for your piecing project. For example, I would hesitate to starch 5" squares if I were using a pattern that called for exact 5" squares; they might shrink in one direction or another to less than 5". Same with fat quarters, although usually even if the fat quarter shrinks a little you will still be able to get the required pieces out of it.

Usually, if I am going to starch, I am starching yardage. Storing starched yardage is a problem probably only in climates where there are a lot of bugs, especially if there is dampness and heat. Honestly, it's never been a problem for me in MN and WI.

quiltingcandy

I starch my yardage just before I use it. My yardage gets washed when I bring it home, but I don't iron and starch it until I am going to use it. (Maybe because I am lazy, but I only want to iron once.) I also wash my pre-cuts because the chemicals on the fabrics can irritate my fingers, so I will starch them too before using them too. But as Prism99 said, they can shrink. I just had a kit that had 9 pieces of 1/3 yard each and I washed them and each piece shrank. It was a bit of a shock, I had to adjust the pattern which didn't thrill me but it's okay. I was just surprised because the fabric was a good brand.

Joan in AK

Quilting candy how do you wash your precuts, since fabric,especially small pieces of fabric ravel so much.

EasyPeezy

I starch all my fabric before cutting. Never starched during of after sewing.
But I understand some do.
For pre-cuts, I adjust my cutting/sewing to the size of the pre-cuts after
starching/ironing. For charms, I prefer to make patterns that use 4.5" squares
that way I'm covered for any shrinkage and I can trim my charms to 4.5"
and avoid the pinked edges. For layer cakes I go with max 9.5" squares.
For jelly rolls I use them as is...no trimming.
But I have to adjust my 1/4" seam allowance once/twice.