Friday, February 8, 2013

Quilter's Moonshine

I've had a number of requests for the recipe to the Quilters Moonshine that Kare and I made and gave to the participants of our first Old Bags Day. This recipe makes a little over a gallon so be prepared to make it in a bucket or large bowl and then transfer to other containers.



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.  :-))

69 comments:

Rebecca said...

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.

SIMPLESEW said...

I 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

SIMPLESEW said...

ps.. Your invited to my Blogaversary starting Monday! Cya there..

The Slow Quilter said...

I must have missed this, what is it used for, and if you added a scented oil, would it stain?

Anonymous said...

This is a replacement for Best Press and similar products. It works great. Great Christmas gift for guild gifts.

Unknown said...

Great Christmas gift for my quilting friends! Thanks for the sharing! patty at www.welcomepillows.com

Unknown said...

So,I made this. I have a question, do you find it makes your iron sticky from the sugar in the vodka?
Thank you

Ramona-quilter said...

I am curious, why the vodka. What does it bring to the table?

Unknown said...

I think vodka for the alcohol?I think I will try rubbing alcohol cause I have out

Mary Ann Littlejohn said...

Sugar in the vodka? I don't think so. Test it if you are concerned? Easy.

Mary Ann Littlejohn said...

It provides moisture and then evaporates quickly.

Annamation said...

Hi there! I sell Vodka for a living and sew as a hobby so this post feels personal, lol!

You 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.

Fuzzball said...

Your 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...

Unknown said...

What am I miss here? What does the Vodka do? New to quilting. Help me out please.

Fuzzball said...

from Mary Ann Littlejohn: It provides moisture and then evaporates quickly.

Debbie can sew said...

I 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.

Wendy V said...

Vodka 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.

Anonymous said...

What is this product used for? I am new to quilting. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Its a spray starch for ironing your squares.

Kathy said...

The Vodka makes you a "Happy Quilter"!!!

Jules said...

Thanks, Annamation for your good info!

Anonymous said...

how long is the shelf life?

Unknown said...

I have been given a gift of homemade spray starch..so glad you have the reciepe! Think I'll try it with some lavender oil :-)

Anonymous said...

I 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.

Fuzzball said...

I found it at my regular grocery store by starch products. You could try Walgreens, too.

Anonymous said...

Do you know how long it will last before going bad? In other words, is there an expiration? I can't wait to try this!

Kate said...

I have made one similar to this one but always used potato vodka because of the potato starch.

KelleyP said...

vodka 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.

Peggy Benandi said...

You 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.

Anonymous said...

Actually Vodka is no longer made from potatoes. I would really love to get Vodka made from potatoes!

Fuzzball said...

http://vodka.underthelabel.com/d/d/Potato Just google vodka made from potatoes

Anonymous said...

I 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.

Delores said...

Could this be used as a starch for free standing lace embroidery designs? When it dries is it clear? Thank you..

Anonymous said...

I love this! Thanks for posting it!

Anonymous said...

HaH! one time I mistakenly added 7-UP to my iron. !! The iron was okay, but boy the burnet sugar on the material, LOL.

Unknown said...

The liquid starch I bought says refrigerate after mixing and use within a week?

Clerk Clark said...

You 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.

Anonymous said...

Fyi there are a some vodkas still made with Potatoes. Chopin Vodka for one

whatwerks said...

Thanks! When my gallon jug of best press is gone, I am going to try this.

Anonymous said...

I 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?

Anonymous said...

I 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.

Anonymous said...

I was wondering what you can use in place of the vodka.

Sherri P said...

Wal-Mart has sta flo starch in the laundry aisle by the normal spray starches.

Unknown said...

Vodka 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!

Unknown said...

I tried this and the starch left a residue on my fabric. Next time I'll just use vodka and water.

Quilting Fun with Sally Terry said...

the alcohol removes wrinkles

Amy said...

You 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.

Anonymous said...

Cold 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.

Nancy said...

What do you use this for? spraying your fabric..what does the addition of vodka do for the fabric?

Anonymous said...

How about using a bit of lemon (or other flavor ) extract for scent?

Anonymous said...

when I purchased my Vodka for this spray the clerk informed me that most Vodka is now wheat based.

Glenda said...

I 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?

Ravenblue said...

I'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.

Unknown said...

I thought the vodka acted as a preservative(alcohol
content) 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.

jmall said...

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.

Peggy Olson said...

I wash my quilts when I finish quilting. Never a problem wit attracting bugs and the starch is washed out.

Unknown said...

Best Press or the recipe give here is a starch alternative.

Anonymous said...

Sizing 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.

Winnie said...

Is there any why to know which brands are potato or wheat based? Beside how can you have vodka if not for potato?

Unknown said...

I'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.

AnneGee said...

The liquor store employee should know which vodka is potato based. Luksusowa and Chopin are two examples.

Unknown said...

No, 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!

Unknown said...

Does not discolory fabrics.

Bftlady said...

It makes the fabric happy and 'easy' to work with. :)

Unknown said...

Use 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.

Unknown said...

It will say on the label. Grain
Or potato.

Twink said...

I thought this recipe was for sandwiching the quilt layers for quilting instead of using the expensive aerosol sprays or pinning.

Twink said...

Sorry, I am wrong because there is Stay-flo in it. The basting spray recipe doesn't, but it does have the potato based vodka.

Unknown said...

It doesn't stain your fabric at all.