When I don't have really large pieces of fabric, like for a scrappy quilt, I put the pieces in a zip lock bag and pour starch in there, seal it and let the starch sink into the fabric. I add more if it's all swallowed up, until everything is uniformly damp. Then I open it up and let it dry a bit before I iron it. Works well for me. I also cover my ironing board with a sheet before I iron the starched fabric.