How to Starch Fabric and Prepare it For Quilting

Great Tips to Avoid Flaking and Other Starch Issues!

Some quilters swear by starching their fabric and others have had problems with it and therefore shy away from starching. When done incorrectly, starch can flake, gummy up your iron and cause other issues.

Those are easy to solve, however, making starch a great go-to for some piecing issues. Or, do as some quilters do and starch everything before you start cutting.

Image from There She Sews.

If you wash your fabric before cutting, starch will stiffen it and make it easier to cut and piece. It does the same for unwashed fabric that’s a bit slippery, as well. Starch is also helpful when working with triangles, as the bias edges are much less likely to stretch and distort.

In the following video Leah Day demonstrates her method of starching. It’s an excellent way to enjoy the benefits without problems. Plus, she covers common issues with starch and tells how to avoid them.

Leah goes on to show how to square up fabric by “making it dance.” This is an easy and foolproof way to ensure straight strips when cutting.

The remainder of the video shows how to cut strips and pieces for a particular project. It’s a good overview full of tips to use in your own projects.

Click here to watch the video at YouTube if it doesn’t play on your device.

Leah recommends pressing starched fabric on a very firm pressing board. You’ll find instructions in our “Make the Perfect Pressing Board for Quilting” article.

Also, click here to learn how Leah made her pressing board and to find other starching and squaring up tips.

You’ll find a good selection of starch here.