Quilting

[ding]

Do you starch before you start quilting the top of a quilt.

[classynsassy]

I’m a firm believer in starch from beginning to end, I starch all fabric before I make my first cut, I starch as I press, I starch the rows as I join and I starch my top when it’s done. If it doesn’t make it immediately on my Longarm I find that well pressed and starched tops have no wrinkles or creases when folded and stored.

[Bernina2]

Personally I see no reason to ever use starch
at any stage of the quilting process.
Plus I would not want to add harmful
chemicals to my fabric/quilt.

[auntstuff]

I have never used starch when making a quilt.

[Tracie T]

If I'm pressing yardage, I like to use starch, especially if I'm going to be cutting 2 1/2 inch strips. I don't want any wrinkles.

[Vonnie]

For me, it depends on the fabric. If the seams won't lie flat, I starch. If the wrinkles or creases won't come out, I starch.

[JCY]

When I have a completed top, the threads on the back have been clipped, etc., I use spray starch to press it as well as the backing before I sandwich it & quilt. If I have fabric that has folds or wrinkles, I will use Best Press to those areas when pressing, prior to cutting.

[Claire Hallman]

Starching can reduce wrinkle but even better it reduces raveling. I starch when I am prepping fabric to cut and then again when pressing stubborn seams and often before sandwiching.
I have a friend that starches her fabric to the point of being like paper, her piecing is absolutely precise and gorgeous. I can't seem to get mine that stiff.

[KarenC]

For me, it depends on the quilt. I have made many without starch, but others I do you starch. Definitely use it before cutting anything with that will create bias edges. I did a king size quilt which was all triangles cut with a tri recs ruler. For that quilt, I used lots of starch. The starch definitely helped me with the cutting and piecing. Don't remember using starch in the final pressing before quilting.

[Trudy A]

I am a starcher, especially when a pattern calls for smaller pieces. I find my piecing is more precise when I use starch. Before sandwiching I always starch both the backing and the top, this seems to help prevent wrinkles.