Who Knew? I took a class yesterday taught by a Baby Lock Educator for my Ellisimo...really good! The educator had us make a table runner out of linen (a 3 foot oval design)...with no stabilizer at all...who knew? He provided the linen which he said he starched with Argo, dryed and ironed...He relayed that he regularly uses starched fabric without any stabilizer without problems...well I am here to tell you that all 12 of us embroidered our table runners completely without any problems...I will definately be trying this again. He also relayed he takes the scraps of his WSS and sews them together with water soluble thread to create large hoopable pieces...a huge saving as he uses lots of WSS for his heirloom embroidery pieces...he was a wealth of information and it was a great class.

Post your runner, we'd all like to see, I'm sure-Thanks for the tip and I save my WSS too

1 comment

by dragonflyer 03 Dec 2012

As soon as I get it finished...I will...waiting on the wing needle work that I need to do...new to me!

I found this link on a quilting site to make spray starch out of either a liquid starch or cornstarch (corn flour)...I'm gonna give this a try...the recepe is in the link along with other good information...

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by chenille 03 Dec 2012

Thanks for this. I added it to favorites!

Rossie my friend does both of these tips also without any problems. It is nice you shared these tips with others to.....

Way to go so glad u got your moneys worth hugs carolyn

yes please starch to water ratio

Wow! Great tips! What is the ratio of starch(or cornstarch) to water? Also, what happens when the item is washed? Thanks for this!
Hugs, Nadyne

2 comments

by chenille 02 Dec 2012

I forgot....what type of designs did you use?Were they dense or quite lite in thread count?

by dragonflyer 03 Dec 2012

They were a satin type ornamental flower design...medium density I would say...as soon as I get the table runner done, I will post...

Seems to be a very interesting class that you had. Super ideas. Thanks for sharing with us. I will have to find out where in S.A. I can get the watersoluble yarn. ***

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by bielie 03 Dec 2012

You will get it at the quilting shops - we use it for trapunto work or tacking. Hi from East London

Thanks for the info. I love my Babylock dealer..

oh ... I'm a little jealous ... in Italy is as if we have the water-soluble stabilizer ... we're two steps behind :-) thanks for sharing! Hugs, Sonia

Thanks for sharing the tips you learned.

In UK water soluble thread is expensive. Approx £5 for 100yds. I use water soluble glue stick which does the same job. Just make sure the glue is water soluble though!!! Wait for the glued scraps to dry thoroughly before stitching.

water soluble thread, never heard of it, I sew them together with embroidery thread, but water soluble would be much better,
thanks for the info

Great Info!!! Thank you for sharing! Hugs, Laura*

Thank you so much for sharing this great tip with us.

I love it when someone shares that kind of info with us. Some dealers would rather not tell money saving ideas. I do sew wss pieces together, just remember to use the wash away thread in the bobbin as well as on top and don't for get to change both out when done. You don't want to use wash away in some other project! Hugs. Nan W

Thank you for sharing with us!
Hugs, Lidia

For phi4...Superior makes a water soluble thread...Vanish Extra or Vanish Lite...I tried to add a link, but it came up with an error. If you google either Superior Threads or water soluble thread you will find the correct link...

Sounds like you had a great time and learnt a lot. Thanks for sharing the tips. Shirley

where can you buy water soluble thread?

thanks for sharing this info.

Will that be In the U.K. what we call cornflower,I would not put in tumble drier but let almost dry then iron ..Bernadette

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by asterixsew 28 Nov 2012

Yes it is

Love those teachers...Full of great ideas. Suzanne

Happy for you. The information is awesome. Thank you *

Babylock educators are so very knowledgeable and well trained. Hope you get to take more classes with a Babylock Educator. I so miss my classes.

Sounds very worthwhile and both tips will be very useful, thanks. Jan

Sounds like you had a very good day. Nor heard of Argo, so please can I ask where are you?

7 comments

by dragonflyer edited 28 Nov 2012

I am in the USA...Argo is a brand of corn starch...he mixes with water and makes his own starch for his fabrics, dips them, puts them in the dryer and then irons with no steam...he said steam will break down starch, so if he needs moisture, he uses spray

by dragonflyer 28 Nov 2012

starch which he tries to only pay $1.00 a can for...the cheaper the better...any brand will do. Again, who knew?

by asterixsew 28 Nov 2012

Thanks

by theduchess 28 Nov 2012

Any brand of powdered starch works. Youll get better results if you "cook" the starch.. Place a pot of water heat to hot. Take a cup ,add some starch, add a tiny amount of water to make a paste, then stir this into the pot .Stir so it won't lump up. Add wet item(wrung out)let dry. Iron.

by arsenio 28 Nov 2012

Can you please show us what you have done? I mean the table runner.

by mops 28 Nov 2012

That's what I use. Put it in a spray bottle, spray one side, turn it over and iron till dry, then spray other side and repeat. Works well for me - no wrinkles.

by dragonflyer 29 Nov 2012

Thanks, Mops...this sounds like a better way to apply than to soak and dry in the dryer...I will definately give this a try in the spray bottle...about how much starch to water ratio for the spray bottle? Thanks...