There were a lot of questions regarding the use of Starch/Size when piecing. Starching/Sizing fabric helps aide in better piecing.
Starching obviously makes a stiffer fabric…I love to use starch with the flannel…for sure…Some people are afraid of the starch…saying the bugs love starch and they will eat your fabrics…if this is something that you are concerned about…it all can be eliminated with washing your quilt after it is quilted. Sizing is not as stiff as starch but it still works adding a little more body than nothing at all…
Here is the step by step.. I buy starch by the can…Yes lots of it..its cheap. I know that it would be cheaper to make my own…but I have not had time to do that yet…the cans work great with the spray paint can handles. I will try to make my own someday as I hate all those cans in the garbage…
Completely saturate your fabric from the wrong side..it will soak through to the other side. It will be very wet. (I used to iron them dry at this point with a hot dry iron…this takes LOTS of time and the fabrics shrink up a lot because of the high heat.)
Hang the fabrics to dry several hours or over-night.
Iron the fabrics they will be very stiff use a little steam if needed. (There was no shrinkage with the jelly rolls at all they are still 2 1/2″…if I would have ironed them dry they have shrunk. To be honest this was the reason why I didn’t use a lot of precuts before…now with hanging them to dry…I’m using them!!!)
Now cut your fabrics as your pattern states…
If concerned about all the starch in your quilt…wash it after it is quilted and bound.
I hope this answers all your questions…
Love from the Lake..LB
