Saturday, November 19, 2011

Generic Best Press Recipe

In my last post, I mentioned pressing with my own homemade bestpress starch solution and I've been asked to give the recipe.

In a clean large jug, mix:

4 Cups of water
2 Cups of liquid starch
4 ounces of Vodka
10 drops of essential oil fragrance

Many quilters have questioned me about the Vodka. As an alcohol, it acts as a natural preservative, but in addition to that, it will chemically mix with BOTH the water and the oil of the scent to emulsify them together. I keep my jug right on the cellar stairs and it keeps for a year that I know of, I hafta make more after that because I use it up. I fill my little spray bottle often and always shake it before using because the starch settles.
I bought the liquid starch at my grocery store and it cost $3 in March of 2010 and I still have almost half a jug.
Today I threw my shoulder to the wheel on my last group of pinwheel blocks and completed 37 in a couple of hours. That means that I've done 97 pinwheel blocks and I think it was 100 of the 16 patches in two weeks, exactly. Whew! That's like lightening for me because I'm a slow sewer.
I wanted so much to get them done to empty my pie basket so that it can now hold my Orca Bay quarter square triangles.
I'm up to 120 done now, so I only need another 100 or so. Yippee!!!!

7 comments:

Michele, a distracted quilter said...

Thanks for the spray starch recipe. I think I might try it with lavender scent or lemon verbena. I had a friend who used to make her own laundry freshener spritzer (minus the starch), but she moved away and I lost her recipe. By the way, if anyone ever asks, rubbing alcohol can NOT be substituted for the vodka - it's a different alcohol and will damage fabric.

Laurie said...

Thanks for sharing the recipe Vic. Unfortunately, liquid starch isn't available here - I've searched!

So instead, I had one of the LQS's order me a jug of the Mary Ellen's BestPress and I just refil my spray bottle. And since your last post, I've added some of my essential oils to it... this time vanilla and sandalwood... so relaxing. I have several small bottles of essential oils as I make my own hand creams, face creams, soaps, body washes, bath salts and lip balms. So now each bottle I use can have a different scent, depending on my mood!

Anonymous said...

They look beautiful, Vic. Nice fabric. Don't you just love making these cute little things? I had a blast making mine! ......Love your blogs........Debra in Ma. (Quiltfan510) on QuiltvilleChat.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the recipe, but how do you stop the rest of the liquid starch going mouldy? I bought Pearson's liquid starch, (in Australia) used it once, and when I went to use it again, it looked like a swamp. Totally full of gooey mould. Eeuw
Thanks for any ideas
Joan

janequiltsslowly said...

Wait, wait, wait . . . you are adding OIL to your pressing solution. Oil = Stain!! I'm an unscented girl anyway.

Unknown said...

I've been crusing the internet for a recipe for this and when I say your blog I thought, "Wait, I know her!" lol...what I really mean is that I met your blog on a hop and thoroughly enjoyed your posts! Thanks for the recipe. It's on my to-do list for today. My husband likes heavy starch on his shirts so this should be great!

kelley likes said...

Pretty pretty pinwheels!!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...