i don't know why you feel like an idiot. it isn't as though somebody gave you the proper instructions then you ignored them. you were brave enough to experiment, then SMART enough to ask when you didn't get the result you hoped for. you should see the results of some of the things i've tried over the years. LOL
i can't speak for anybody else but the only things I've known how to do from birth are eat, sleep, process and expel the results of eating, and cry. the rest has been learned over time.
go to Dharma.com for your BJS. while you're there, get a bottle of either Retayne or Dharma Dye Fixative (same chemical, different brands.) also make sure you print on 200-ct 100% cotton muslin or 100% silk. if you're printing with an HP using color ink cartridge #10, 11, or 97, expect to lose a lot of ink in the first rinse (20% fade or more). don't blame yourself - it's the "new" and "improved" ink that causes the problem. don't spend all that extra money on bubble jet rinse. synthrapol (your least expensive solution - you only need 4 caps full in a full washer load. also get mine from Dharma.), woolite, or any super-mild detergent will do.
after the first rinse, soak your printed sheets for 30 minutes in a solution of around 1/8 cup of the liquid dye fixative for each 2 cups of water. there's nothing about that in the instructions but think about it ... dye base inks ... dye fixative. i do it as an inexpensive extra step for added insurance against fading over time.
i used to be able to feed fabric through my HP printers easily when ironed to freezer paper. the newer models don't handle it as well. some people swear by full-page labels. i like the sticker project paper (by Avery) better. it's easier for me to get the fabric off without stretching it all out of shape.
if you are lucky enough to have a Canon printer that uses cartridges with numbers starting with CL, you can skip the first detergent wash and drop them straight into the dye fixative mix. you will lose so little ink you can hardly see the difference.
end of chapter. in the next installment, dear readers, we'll find out whether it was the butler or the maid ...