I've never seen/read anyone else pressing them this way.
I set the seam.
Then I put the seamed side down (finished side "up" ) along the edge of my ironing board so the seam I want to press is only about 1/2 inch or so on the ironing board. Then I press into the seam.
If this is a set of several strips, the other strips/seams are either hanging off the ironing board, or out of the way of the iron on the pressing surface.
I line the seam up parallel to a straight edge of my pressing surface - my strips end up fairly straight this way - regardless of which way I sew them together.