Candi, don't feel bad. I don't 'get' all this starching either. So, ditto your questions and repeat the one about gunking up the iron. I hand wash all my fabric before using, then iron it to get wrinkles out. Is this when it should be starched? Because I wash fabric first, I don't rewash after putting the top together. Would I need to do that to get the starch out? I guess I need a full tutorial on this subject.