Thanks Val, your method is simple and it works for you. I guess the black ink would stay and not wash out. I did notice with my experiments even when I starched the calico, the black ink but the colours washed out, and thinking about it, I guess the reason starch isn't used is so the ink doesn't wash out with the starching........I was trying to get my piece of calico to be more rigid in order to be taken up by the printer more easily, that is why I used starch.
Anna