josieh

I have never starched anything before today. That said, I starched using Niagara in the spray bottle and ironed using steam. I ironed until the fabric was dry. Should I have dry-ironed instead? I laid out the piece of cloth and it does not lay flat, it has bumps in it. Has anyone used plain water instead of starch? Again, dry iron or steam? Thanks.

Jingle

I use a dry iron and if needed I use plain water in a spray bottle. I don't use starch and have 90+ quilts. I leaves gunk on the iron and ironing board.

pocoellie

I buy Sta Flo starch(concentrated) and mix 50/50 in a spray bottle, it's a whole lot cheaper than the starch in the cans. Any fabric I'm going to be working with, I spray it liberally then put in a plastic bag and let the starch soak into the fibers of the fabric for a minimum of 2 hours, then I take fabric out of the bag and either let air dry or stick in the drier for a few minutes, then I iron with no steam but do sometimes I do spray the fabric with a light mist of water. I spray the starch on the RIGHT side of the fabric and iron on the WRONG side. I think the "bumps" you're talking about are from the form of the ironing board, did you perhaps iron the fabric on most of the length of the ironing board? I usually only iron on the wide section of the board and haven't had a problem with "bumps". Maybe someone else will have more suggestions.

lisalisa

I like Leah Day's method.
http://www.daystyledesigns.com/starchfabric.htm

LivelyLady

I use Sta Flo using 50/50, too. The only thing I do different is I spray the wrong side and then iron the right side. I've never had any flakes nor bumps either.

SueSew

Maybe when you pressed the fabric there was a little sticking instead of slipping due to the starch and it got out of shape. I use a plain flat iron which doesn't steam, no starch, and a gentle spritz of water. I only starch when wrinkles won't come out any other way, or I am stuck with prewashed fabric that needs major resizing. But I don't prewash (ooooh get the quilt police!!! LOL)

Dina

I don't starch or prewash....so the quilt police are probably really after me. I also use steam. When I iron clothes, I sometimes use Magic Sizing and then my iron is on steam. Works well. I have used starch on clothes in the past too, with the iron on steam. I didn't like the starch. It left flakes.

I don't think the starch and steam iron should have made the cloth not flat. Maybe you need to experiment on another piece of fabric?

Not much help, am I. Sorry.

Dina

EasyPeezy

Here's a good article that has helped me a lot with starch.
http://www.marcusbrothers.com/featur...ssman_solomon/


I make my own starch and have used this formula. Cooking the starch will
avoid all those flakes. I use a dry iron. If the starched fabric is too damp,
I let it air dry or if I'm in a hurry I use a square of muslin over the fabric.
Keeps my iron clean.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...h-t158141.html


Is your ironing board flat? If you are using a regular ironing board that's probably
why you have a curve. I have a big board that I've covered with batting and duck cloth and put over my ironing board. Everything stays flat.

I also leave my starched fabric overnight in the fridge. It helps distribute
the starch evenly. Hope this helps.

Lori S

Ironing fabric while it is wet can cause the bumps you are referring to. Cotton fibers are weakest when they are wet and can distort. When I starch I let it dry.

NJ Quilter

I, too, use the sta flo concentrate in a 50/50 mix. Probably wrong, but I starch AND iron the right side of the fabric. I spray the fabric but let it sit for a couple of minutes. And I use steam. I've not had a problem with bumps or flakes. And if I get flakes, oh well, they brush off. The quilt is going to be washed when I'm done anyhow so it's no matter to me. I hear the quilt police roaring down the street now!