I recently chatted with my Toad Circle community about their go-to quilting starch sprays, and wow - so many opinions! Some of you swear by DIY recipes, others stick with trusty store-bought bottles, and a few of you haven’t ventured into sprays at all. Your feedback got me thinking about what quilting starch really does, how it compares to sizing spray, and which options are worth reaching for when you’re lining up your blocks.
What’s quilting starch good for?
Quilting starch adds crispness to your fabric, making piecing and pressing curves a dream. A light spray gives your fabric body, keeps seams sharp, and helps blocks sit flat - perfect when you’re working with bias edges or tiny bits. You’ll notice your points line up better, and ironing feels more precise. If you’ve ever wrestled with wavy edges or stretching, starch can be your new best friend.
Starch spray vs. Sizing spray
While some people use these terms interchangeably, sizing sprays typically include a bit more binders and can leave a slightly tacky finish - great for hand-quilting or garment sewing to give fibers extra grip. Quilting starch sprays are usually lighter, designed to boost crispness without weighing your quilt down. In my experience, starch sprays feel cleaner under the iron, whereas sizing can sometimes leave a residue if you’re not careful.
Starch spray round-up
Here’s a quick look at the sprays your fellow quilters mentioned:
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DIY starch spray: A mix of regular spray starch and water (or vodka and water). Super economical and easy to tweak for scent-free use. Just be mindful of storage - homemade mixes can attract ants if you skip a rinse.
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Mary Ellen’s Best Press: The OG favorite - easy to find at most craft stores that carry sewing or quilting products, cuts well with water to stretch a bottle, and has that fresh linen scent. A few of you noted it can feel greasy if you over-spray or scorch it under a hot iron.
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Flatter Spray: Love that it’s not aerosol and smells lovely. Some of you are on scent-free hunts, so cutting it with plain water works great.
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Faultless Spray Starch: Called a game-changer by a few quilters - cheap, effective, and has built-in rust inhibitors if you store it near your ironing board.
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Sta-Flow: A concentrated formula that lasts forever - just a little goes a long way. Great for heavy-use studios.
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Magic Premium Quilting and Crafting Spray: A standout among those who’ve tried it. It smooths fiber nicely, cuts easily with water for a lighter touch, and doesn’t leave funky marks. More on this one in a moment.
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No spray at all: A few quilters avoid chemicals entirely, preferring crisp pressing techniques and starch-free quilting. Totally valid - and if that’s your jam, go with what feels right!
My pick: Magic Premium Quilting and Crafting Spray
After trying all of the above, Magic Premium Quilting and Crafting Spray has won my heart. It delivers a perfect mid-strength starch that keeps fabrics flat without stiffness. I love that it’s designed for quilting (so you don’t get extra binders meant for clothing), and a simple 1:1 cut with water gives me flexibility for lighter projects. My favorite memory? Spraying it on my Moonbeam Quilt pieces last month as I was making the cover quilt - I pressed each unit with ease, ended up with razor-sharp points, and my quilt top laid out smoother than anything I’ve made before.
Wrapping it up
Starch sprays can transform your quilting experience, whether you’re a fan of tried-and-true Best Press, prefer a clean homemade mix, or want to dive into something new. If you haven’t given Magic Premium Quilting and Crafting Spray a spin yet, I highly recommend adding it to your ironing routine. A huge thanks to those who had the starch conversation with me in our Toad Circle community - you really helped shape this post! If you haven't already joined this awesome community, I totally invite you to try it out! This is a great group of people, and they provide a wealth of knowledge and great friendships!
