Starch is in the same category as pre-washing, one of those personal fabric prep choices that each quilter decides for him/herself. I always pre-wash and I never starch, my choice entirely. In over 40 years of quilting, I've never once run into a situation where something would have worked better, or been easier, with stiff fabric.
If starching works for you, by all means use it. But if it doesn't, it's certainly not a necessary part of the quilt making process...not for bias edges, not for circles, not for appliqué, not for anything. The choice is yours alone.