HI there, I have found MAry Ellen's Best Press, which is an alternative to starch, to iron my pieces before using. Love the small amt of stiffness which assures me that the pieces cut more accurately, and definately hold better to go together better.
I guess being an older quilter with older ideas, now hanging with younger gals using newer ideas, has helped me to really grow and produce much nicer articles. So it takes a bit more time, but no problems now.
Back to my starching, it is very controvertial, some like it, some def do not, I find especially applique pieces are so much easier to do needle turn, and other types of applique after being starched.
Botto line is I would wash initialy, then a little bit of starch or alternative when I iron. Ms Piffle