Oh right on! I have seen very few videos but every one, including the Ricky-Timms and what's her name showing you how to do the folded flying geese...they all seem to let the iron swoop!
I finger press first when ironing the join between two pieces while building a block, because it gives me better accuracy when I lay the iron on it, but once it is assembled I very carefully carefully iron. I would never steam until I have an assembly of a big block or rows and I prefer that the fabric not be starched stiff - I like to get the feel of it and work with it, learn how to get it to do what I want without stiffener. But I don't pre-wash - !