Juztme

I am working on my first quilt and have all the pieces cut and laid out on my design board. I now find that I should have starched my fabric. Is it too late? Can I spray starch? When and who is the best way to starch so I don't do this again!!

crafty pat

I have starched mine after cutting, just make sure not to move the iron around them and stretch them. Just set the iron down and lift to press them. Mine have always turned out good.

quiltstringz

In the future if you are going to starch it is best if you do so before you cut. There is no rule that says you have to starch - I do think my cuts come out better if I do, but that is just my personal opinion

romanojg

go ahead and starch. spray them and let it set for a few seconds until the white foam disappears so that you won't get the white residue and then becareful and not move your iron too much so you don't stretch you fabric. You don't always have to starch but if I'm doing angles then it's a good idea for sure. If I'm doing a block and need it to lie flat I'll starch it.

Prism99

I would probably wait to spray starch until after you have completed a block. At that point you can use spray starch to "block" the block to correct size.

Starching before cutting, just as with washing before cutting, is a personal preference. I don't starch fabrics before cutting, but then I also don't prewash. Starching, for me, is not necessary for fabric right off the bolt because that fabric already contains some sizing from the manufacturer. If I need to wash a fabric, however, washing removes the manufacturer's sizing and can leave the fabric limp. That kind of fabric I will starch before cutting, to restore some stability and stiffness to the fabric.

Did you wash this fabric before cutting out the pieces? In that case, you do have the option of spray starching before piecing, as you can be pretty sure the cut pieces won't shrink or bleed. If the fabric was not pre-washed, you run the risk of the pieces shrinking or distorting if you spray starch. Besides, unwashed fabric usually has enough sizing in it so that starch is not needed.

In a situation where I need extreme exactness in piecing, I would heavily starch unwashed fabric before cutting to ensure extremely precise cutting and piecing. A few quilters do this routinely. I just skip any step that I think is not absolutely necessary, as it takes me long enough to complete a quilt already!

Doreen

I don't starch. When I press my fabric before cutting I use Best Press. You need to be care that you don't stretch your fabric since it is already cut.

virtualbernie

If I forget to starch before I cut, I generally will spray starch the pieces and let them dry all the way before I press. I can never get it right if I press while the fabric is damp/wet--it either shrivels up or stretches out--operator error?probably--but letting it dry cuts down on my catastrophes.

gayle bong

I don't starch very often. When I do it is cause the fabric is kinda wimpy and I am sewing some pointy triangles. If I have lots to do, I'd lay down some scrap pressing sheet on the ironing board first, just so it doesn't get all scuzzy. then I'd lay lot's of pieces down close together cause that spray goes everywhere. then like the others suggested spray and let set till foam goes away and press up and down to dry. Move when cool.
I don't usually spray yardage, but I will decide to spray after I cut strips - occasionally.

valsma

I agree. Go ahead and starch just lift and press. Don't slide your iron.

BellaBoo

Press on a firm surface. Too fluffy or soft surface will distort the cut fabric.