Ah... now this is a good question for a newbe quilter. That is why so many new people buy patterns. They will instruct you on which way the seams are to be pressed. After a while, you will instinctivly know which way will be the best by the pattern you are sewing. The girls are right, Press don't iron. (Press , pick straight up, press.) No matter how long the seam is. Use a dry iron on a med-high heat. And for heaven's sake use a stable flat ironing surface.
If you are in doubt, press to the side with the least amount of seams that intersect into it. They will always want to try and buckle back if there is much bulk there, so it will defeat your purpose pressing to make it do something that physically will want to correct by itself. Try to only press the seam part not the whole block.
Pressing is a very important part of excellent piecing, so you are so clever to ask and to learn it right from the begining.
Last edited by RedGarnet222; 02-01-2013 at 11:36 AM.