by Sandra | May 28th, 2009
If you work with Batiks a lot you know what I am talking about when it comes to those hard creases that will not come out with even with the best steam iron and elbow grease. Those nasty little tormentors that seem to land perfectly where you want to fussy cut every time. I had even tried the commercial supermarket starches etc. to no avail. Then a wonder product appeared on the market like a ray of sunshine.
A salesperson at my local quilt shop clued me in awhile back when it first came out and said it was the most wonderful stuff and it took out EVERY wrinkle that had dared to embed itself in the fabric. I was skeptical and, in all honesty, I was a bit taken aback by the price of it. Really? If the stuff worked as good as the lady was saying, I would have paid triple, but what if it was like everything else I had tried with batiks?
I decided to give it a go since I am skeptical by nature and had to give it my toughest test. I don’t recommend products lightly to others without using them myself and verifying they really do work as advertised.
A batik with those stubborn wrinkles Before Best Press:
And After just a small shot of Best Press:
This is also wonderful for keeping my background fabrics nice and crisp for applique too. No flaking scorching, or spotting on the fabric. It truly is miracle stuff and now a staple in my pressing tools.
Uh oh, this is not good, Oh darn I will just have to go to the quilt shop today. 
©2009 Sandra Leichner
I have seen that around and never thought to buy it ! I hate the was starch makes flakes. I heard starch was bad to use because of bugs being attracted to it over time, so I have used sizing instead . Do you know if that is true about starch and if this would be a better idea because of that ?
I have never used starch before because of silverfish issues here in the PNW and the reason it is a problem (before this stuff) is starch products are usually food based. I have looked over the label of the Best Press and can’t see any ingredient type listing but…..
1) The reason it doesn’t flake could be due to the fact that the food based part of the ingredients usually found in other starch products is not in this one.
2) There is also a soil repellent in the Best Press which leads me to believe that this stuff would not be as tasty to bugs.
I have had no problems so far with silverfish so I am going with this stuff.
Good question Boop.