I set the stitching first too... then press the seam open. Iron filled with water, but set to "dry" as well. I've also learnt the hard way that pressing is just as important as the 1/4 inch seam. It's made a huge difference to my blocks being gentle with the iron and taking the time to press carefully.

I press from the back and use a dry iron.

I always press with dry iron and never with steam . Blocks seem to stretch too much when I use steam.

When I first starting sewing, I worked in a factory ... what do you MEAN ---IRON??? never happened, and I quilted for more than ten years without ironing most of the time. After all, gravity CAN be our friend, right?? <g>

Time went by, and the Lord brought me a helper who is a STICKLER! well, it might be better to say that she makes beautiful quilts and she does EVERYTHING the rules say ... even the ironing. So, we would work together, her making her quilts, me making my quilts, but we found out that we could produce more if we worked together. Just before that happened, we produced two quilts for a Veterans' Day luncheon ... they were to be presented from a free drawing. The Friday before the Luncheon, we met at the Post, each carrying our individual quilts and we hung them on the wall. And, I asked her ... okay, you iron, I don't. Look at those two quilts and tell me which is which!
She just laughed and said, I can't tell them apart ... I didn't iron mine, either!

It happened, that I got a chance to quilt a quilt that she had assembled. The difference (in a good way) was very noticeable!

Now, I press my blocks, setting the seams first and then opening the block and pressing from the front. And, using steam helps me with being gentle with them.

omark.....are you my Mom?????.......she is like you no pressing.....now I press.....just makes sewing so easy and points line up better for me.....that is my preference....Mom......:-)

I read somewhere that you should press your block 3 times.....( a I do 4...just cause I'm there and can...:-)...)

1. Set seam
2. Press open
3. Press back
4. Press front for good measure.....and I use steam when needed to set block...or a little squirt of sizing

LOL ... I could be! I have long said I am a normal human <g>
Since my friend has convinced me to iron/press ... you ought to see what I go through when I see someone abusing my blocks!
At the Post, on our weekly workdays, we never know who will show up, and we try to keep everyone busy... if one shows they cannot/will not sew, the next step is ironing ... if that lady EVER does her "version" again, I am going to have her vaccum!
I have almost become obsessive about the procedure <g>. :wink: