Wash fabric to remove excess chemicals, sew up fabric ends to prevent raveling. Dry and press your fabric, this will remove wrinkles so they don't set. When piecing always press after Every seam, press the block after its pieced.
Press, don't iron or your pieces/block will get stretched out of shape. I don't care how long it takes to piece a quilt top, as long as I prepare my fabric correctly, cut accurately, and press each sewn seam accurately. I buy good quality fabric so I never use starch. I press the entire quilt top when its finished as well. I hang it up until it goes to the LAQ.