Welcome to the board and to the wonderful world of quilting! I am not a pre-washer and I use steam most of the time. You will get as many opinions as responses - so, bottom line, try it all ways and see what works best for you. I am hesitant to say there is no "right" or "wrong" way - just, if it works for you, or you like one way better than another, then that is the way to go, with the caveat that you are free to try something else and like that way best too!