Mix well:
1 gallon of distilled water
1/2 cup liquid starch (we used Sta-Flo)
1 cup vodka (cheap is fine - and now you know why we call it Moonshine!)
You can add up to 4 teaspoons of your favorite essential oil for a scent, if you'd like. We did not do that. For one thing, I don't particularly care for scented items because I never know if it will set off my allergies. Of course another reason we didn't "flavor it" was because we would never have been able to decide on one scent that all 32 participants would like. :-)
So there you have it! Vodka really does have a place in the sewing room. :-))
Thank you so much for posting this...I am thinking that its going to be a lovely love token for my quilting circle for valentines... I even already have the cheep vodka on hand,,,but I wont tell anybody if you dont.
ReplyDeleteI was just doing this and didnt write it down. I used this one 1 c of Febreeze, 1c Stay Flo, 1 cup of water.. I wonder if I add Vodka what it would do?? I love the Febreeze, for the smell. thanks
ReplyDeleteYour formula sounds really nice because of the smell. I was curious how does it work compared to the vodka one. Seems like it would be thick and gum up the iron. Does it? Thanks...
DeleteNo, it doesn't. I'm using it right now, the one I bought at a quilt show had lavender oil added...it smells amazing & works beautifully!
Deleteps.. Your invited to my Blogaversary starting Monday! Cya there..
ReplyDeleteI must have missed this, what is it used for, and if you added a scented oil, would it stain?
ReplyDeleteDoes not discolory fabrics.
DeleteIt makes the fabric happy and 'easy' to work with. :)
DeleteIt doesn't stain your fabric at all.
DeleteThis is a replacement for Best Press and similar products. It works great. Great Christmas gift for guild gifts.
ReplyDeleteGreat Christmas gift for my quilting friends! Thanks for the sharing! patty at www.welcomepillows.com
ReplyDeleteSo,I made this. I have a question, do you find it makes your iron sticky from the sugar in the vodka?
ReplyDeleteThank you
Sugar in the vodka? I don't think so. Test it if you are concerned? Easy.
DeleteHi there! I sell Vodka for a living and sew as a hobby so this post feels personal, lol!
DeleteYou won't find any burnable (or any really) sugar in unflavoured vodka as it's all been used in the production of alcohol and subsequent distillation. I actually use it to clean a lot of things, including my iron surfaces. (Don't put it in the iron, it won't completely evaporate for a while and you don't want to heat alcohol vapours inside your iron later.)
It makes a great food-safe alternative to rubbing alcohol if you need to remove something oily or sticky, and like rubbing alcohol, higher proof works better but is can be more expensive.
Thanks, Annamation for your good info!
DeleteI have made one similar to this one but always used potato vodka because of the potato starch.
DeleteI am curious, why the vodka. What does it bring to the table?
ReplyDeleteIt provides moisture and then evaporates quickly.
DeleteI think vodka for the alcohol?I think I will try rubbing alcohol cause I have out
ReplyDeleteWhat am I miss here? What does the Vodka do? New to quilting. Help me out please.
ReplyDeleteVodka is made out of potatoes so has starch I n it. I have made this without the Stallone. It takes wrinkles out like you wouldn't believe!
Deletewhen I purchased my Vodka for this spray the clerk informed me that most Vodka is now wheat based.
DeleteIs there any why to know which brands are potato or wheat based? Beside how can you have vodka if not for potato?
DeleteIt will say on the label. Grain
DeleteOr potato.
from Mary Ann Littlejohn: It provides moisture and then evaporates quickly.
ReplyDeleteI read that since vodka is made from corn products it adds stability like glue. Don't know if that is true but I read that on another post.
ReplyDeleteVodka is made from potatoes. It provides a light starch. I've made it and it does work. CAUTION. Make sure you label it well. Someone in our group thought it was water and put it inside the iron. That iron is ruined and had to be replaced.
ReplyDeleteActually Vodka is no longer made from potatoes. I would really love to get Vodka made from potatoes!
DeleteHaH! one time I mistakenly added 7-UP to my iron. !! The iron was okay, but boy the burnet sugar on the material, LOL.
DeleteFyi there are a some vodkas still made with Potatoes. Chopin Vodka for one
DeleteWhat do you use this for? spraying your fabric..what does the addition of vodka do for the fabric?
DeleteWhat is this product used for? I am new to quilting. Thanks
ReplyDeleteIts a spray starch for ironing your squares.
Deletethe alcohol removes wrinkles
DeleteThe Vodka makes you a "Happy Quilter"!!!
ReplyDeletehow long is the shelf life?
ReplyDeleteI have been given a gift of homemade spray starch..so glad you have the reciepe! Think I'll try it with some lavender oil :-)
ReplyDeleteI was wondering where are you buying liquid sta-flo? I can't find it on any shelves at big box or dollar stores. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWal-Mart has sta flo starch in the laundry aisle by the normal spray starches.
DeleteI found it at my regular grocery store by starch products. You could try Walgreens, too.
ReplyDeleteDo you know how long it will last before going bad? In other words, is there an expiration? I can't wait to try this!
ReplyDeletevodka is rarely made from potatoes these days but regardless, there is little to no starch or sugar in plain vodka. It does evaporate quickly and has a lower boiling point so it turns to steam at a lower temperature.
ReplyDeleteYou can find potato vodka, and that potato adds the starch necessary that Sta-Flo would. You can skip that. I have tried it and like the feel of the fabric when used.
DeleteYou should use a potato based vodka. I only use the vodka and distilled water. You can use a couple drops of essential oil for fragrance but I don't.
ReplyDeletehttp://vodka.underthelabel.com/d/d/Potato Just google vodka made from potatoes
ReplyDeleteI have mixed starch and tap water to make my own spray starch but it gets stinky and globby over time if not used soon. Distilled water will be better. The vodka will act as a preservative, and yes it will dry faster.
ReplyDeleteCould this be used as a starch for free standing lace embroidery designs? When it dries is it clear? Thank you..
ReplyDeleteI love this! Thanks for posting it!
ReplyDeleteThe liquid starch I bought says refrigerate after mixing and use within a week?
ReplyDeleteThanks! When my gallon jug of best press is gone, I am going to try this.
ReplyDeleteI had been happily using my faux "Best Press," and I noticed it had a tendency to brown my iron pad (not any of my fabric, though ??). I've gone back to Faultless Premium Starch for dark clothes. Anyone else have that happen?
ReplyDeleteI made this and used it a couple times. It made ironing blocks feel "sticky" and started causing a film on my iron. I am not sold. You can get Mary Ellen's Best Press at Fleet Farm for $6.00 a 16.9 oz.spray bottle.
ReplyDeleteYou can order Best Press by the gallon jug at JoAnn Fabrics website (not in the store). Even when you figure in the sales tax and shipping, it's still way cheaper to order a jug of it with a 50% coupon and use it to re-fill other spray bottles. My fave is the citrus scent.
DeleteI was wondering what you can use in place of the vodka.
ReplyDeleteI tried this and the starch left a residue on my fabric. Next time I'll just use vodka and water.
ReplyDeleteCold River Vodka is made from potatoes. It is made and bottled here in Freeport Maine. Shaws carries it. It is expensive, but oh so good. Not sure I would use it on fabric.
ReplyDeleteHow about using a bit of lemon (or other flavor ) extract for scent?
ReplyDeleteI have read not to use starch to press quilts as the starch attracts bugs. Sizing is recommended, instead. Have you had any problems in this regard?
ReplyDeleteBest Press or the recipe give here is a starch alternative.
DeleteI've been using a similar version for a couple of years now and love it. I got tired of storing the extra vodka so I use the entire bottle. It smells like rubbing alcohol and burns off quickly. also I used to store it in the plastic "milk" type jug and found that the alcohol actually eats through so I found a gallon sized glass jar that works nicely.
ReplyDeleteI thought the vodka acted as a preservative(alcohol
ReplyDeletecontent) to helped keep any mold from forming as some of this starch may sit for a while. I did put extra homemade starch with which to refill my spray bottle with in the refrigerator.
I have used this for a couple years now and have not had ANY of the above mentioned problems. If you want a REALLY good crease in something this works excellently. Fabric wrinkles come out like nothing, even ones that have been pressed in accidentally. I use the cheapest vodka I can find and have not found any difference in potato vodka or any other.
ReplyDeleteI wash my quilts when I finish quilting. Never a problem wit attracting bugs and the starch is washed out.
ReplyDeleteSizing is preferable to use rather than starch, especially if the quilt is being stored. Starch is a food for silverfish insects and they will eat holes in the fabric.
ReplyDeleteI've been using alcohol for a long time. Easier to get for me. In some markets, you can get it in different strengths. Never had a problem and it dries more quickly. I tend to use canned sizing when the block is completely pieced, and I want to square up my blocks.
ReplyDeleteThe liquor store employee should know which vodka is potato based. Luksusowa and Chopin are two examples.
ReplyDeleteUse it ALL THE TIME. Safely keeps fabric from stretching. Press your fabric w/ moonshine BEFORE cutting pieces. I don't have access to liquor store, so I substituted rubbing alcohol; the higher the strength the better. For some reason my fabric presses dry very quickly from evaporating alcohol.
ReplyDeleteI thought this recipe was for sandwiching the quilt layers for quilting instead of using the expensive aerosol sprays or pinning.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I am wrong because there is Stay-flo in it. The basting spray recipe doesn't, but it does have the potato based vodka.
ReplyDelete