I tear about 1/2 yard of fabric off my main piece then starch the 1/2 yard and iron...that way the strips are already pressed when you cut them and they cut much straighter. If you are doing strictly scrappy...I would still starch and iron each strip and then would press seams after each portion of the block...I have found the more you press, press, press and starch, starch, starch...the better the outcome...took me a while but I finally learned this...LOL