Yes. I always iron before I cut.

Back in my prehistoric home ec days I was taught to always rip the fabric to get the straight grain. Don't do it often, and can't say that it harms the fabric, but you do have some stretch and lose about a half inch or so. Of course you sometimes lose that much or more from it being cut improperly.
And yes, ironing before cutting is a VERY good idea!

You didn't sound like that to me. I'm a linear kind of fairy. Sometimes I have to think about what I actually do. If I analyze my "ironing" I'd guess that would be my jeans for a formal occasion. :lol:

I learned this trick in my sewing class in high school. It works great.

I always iron being cutting the fabric. Since I wash fabric after I buy it, I wait until I use the fabric to iron the fabric and use starch. I want to make sure that all wrinkles are out of it.

I'm fairly new to all this.

I've been instructed to press and not iron per 2 instructors.

Ironing can stretch the material.

In fact, one instructor nearly yelled at me for ironing my pieces. <GG> That's okay, I'm tuff and I learned.

I always iron my fabric flat (I also like to lightly spray it with sizing) and then work with it from there. I NEVER rip fabric, once I bought a plaid fabric that the salesgirl ripped and I had to cut away about four inches of "warped" pattern!

What do you think of using spray sizing? My teacher just told me at a quilting club to not use starch because bugs like to get into your fabric. Only use sizing. Has anyone heard this before?
I do iron every step of the way, but I never rip.

I was told that and use sizing as well.