Starch to Finish

A friend of mine, who also is an instructor at my local quilt shop, shared a tip on how to make my quilts turn out better, my points would meet up and the quilt top would lay flatter.  Needless to say, it was quite eye opening and another step that I could easily do. What brought on this random conversation you ask?  Because I needed the advice and frankly, I was riding on the struggle bus.  But what are friends for right?  

I’ve done the research and the experiments so let me be that friend for you!

Some quilters use starch to stiffen their fabric before cutting. Others may argue it is an unnecessary extra step. It’s a debate you will encounter and every quilter that I spoke with has an opinion.  I am not going to tell you which way is best, but I am going to share the pros and cons for both sides.

To Starch

I have found that the quilters who use starch 9 times out of 10 are also the ones that prewash their fabric. It makes perfect sense because washing removes a bit of the sizing, and starching puts it back in.  There are several different types of starch available.  Spray starch, the most convenient and used for quick ironing and touch-ups. Liquid starch, highly concentrated and great for dipping fabric.  And lastly, Powder starch, the most traditional, cost effective and the highest level of stiffness.  Which product you choose is up to you and your end result.  There are a couple of ways to apply the starch depending on your choice.  You can use a spray bottle to saturate your fabric before ironing.  Or you can dip your fabric in a starch solution, squeeze out the excess solution, and hang until it’s almost dry before you iron. Both methods will create a similar result, a stiff fabric that doesn’t move when you’re cutting or piecing.

Thoughts About Prewashing Fabric

Cotton fabric shrinks around 3-5% after washing. If you don’t prewash before making a quilt, the entire quilt will shrink and give it that wrinkly, well-loved look that some people admire. If you want the clean, crisp lines that shows off your work, prewashing will help prevent some of the shrinkage. Just a little side note: never prewash precut fabrics because the fraying and distortion will defeat the purpose of buying precuts!

Regardless of whether you prewash or not, starching leads to more precise piecing and better cutting accuracy. An added benefit to using starch is that your seams will lay flat better and stay in the direction you press them.

Not to Starch

Starching is an extra step. It adds a lot of time and cost to your quilting. You ultimately have a decision are the benefits worth it or not?  Starch can gum up your iron and leave a flaky white residue on your fabric. It does wash out, but it’s another step that can be a little annoying and adds time. If you’re not careful, fabric starch can lead to scorching so you will need to turn the heat on your iron down a bit and don’t linger in one spot too long.  Another thing you need to be aware of if you use starch, especially homemade, is that it can attract pests, such as silverfish. You should never starch fabric and then store it for an extended period.

Starch has its place in the quilting world.  It can make quilting easier, but it can also add time and aggravation. Every quilter is different, I never starched anything, never thought twice about it, but now I am a starch believer!  You’ll have to decide if starch is right for you or not. However, if you do decide to use starch, make sure that you use it on all your pieces. Sometimes starched and unstarched fabric do not play well together, another short commute on the struggle bus!

So, bring on the starch or starch stay away?  What do you think?