I iron before cutting fabric, then sew, then press open. I did my first quilting by hand, then got a sewing machine and swore never to go back. It is a good skill to practice, even if you don't ever do it again (and for those of you who do all your work hand quilting - wow, that really does impress me, I wouldn't have the patience)
My avatar is made up on 1" (finished) squares. Take your time, be precise, and be patient :)