An attempt has been made to improve the paste stabilities both in viscosity of a hot starch paste and in phase of a starch-polyvinyl alcohol blend paste for warp sizing. The phase stability was evaluated in terms of the initial demixing time, and the volume percentage of polyvinyl alcohol separated. It was found that starch cross-linking is harmful to the phase stability of a starch-polyvinyl alcohol blend paste no matter what a type of polyvinyl alcohol is used,although the cross-linking is an effective technique for stabilizing the viscosity of a hot starch paste. The separation rate and extent all increase with the increase in the cross-linking degree of starch. However, this defect can be eliminated through introducing quaternary ammonium groups into crosslinked starch molecules. Evident effect can be achieved when the degree of substitution is as less as0.021. Generally, increase in the DS reduces the separation rate and extent, and thereby raising the phase stability.Moreover, the effects of both starch content and PVA type on the separation are also considered. Cationization after starch cross-linking shows improved stabilities both in viscosity and phase.