Geri B

I think that could be a problem if using some brands of batting, but my main concern about open seams when piecing is if machine quilting that piecing seam thread is open to being pierced by the point of the sewing machine needle as one is quilting and perhaps weakening or even splitting that joining thread.

I never press seams open, guess it's because I was taught not too, so I don't even think of that as an option.

quiltstringz

I do a mixture of both. However when pressing open I like using a Strip Stick http://thestripstick.com/buy_products
We saw this at a QS and one of my friends bought one -so as soon as we got home we took it apart. All it is a piece of half round (I have found my local Home Depot carries this but Lowes didn't) covered with a piece of batting and fabric. so you can guess our next stop was to get some. When making them I actually used Fabric/Batting/Fabric so that the stick went in the little sleeve easier. It really does help

AliKat

I do both, depending on the pattern.

However, when I do press, open or to the side, I use a pressing sleeve/ham. That way the fabric drapes in a way that there are no puckers or folds.

SueSew

I think she means you press open paper piecing when you join the assemblies, unless you press both to the side and nest. IMHO the more you paper piece pieces together, the bigger lump you get despite how you press it and the more you need one of those purple stick things.

I love tucking the seam under the fabric by pressing to the side. Feels so safe and protected. Years of garment and drapery sewing with exposed seams was no problem, but little bits of fabric and a mere 1/4" seam is another thing!

citruscountyquilter

I believe the habit of pressing to one side was to create a seam that didn't have any open spots for batting to work its way through. With newer types of batting and more piecing being done by machine rather than hand the need for a closed seam is less necessary. I like to nest seams so they match better and this is easier I think when seams are pressed to one side in opposite directions. I do however press some seams open when there is a lot of bulk.

lclang

If I am making a small block with lots of bulk in the seams I press open. If I am making a large block with little bulk in the seams I press to the side. Just depends on the situation and the bulkiness of the fabric.

quilterpurpledog

Most often I press to one side because seams nest together better and my method of quilting calls for ditch stitching all vertical and horizontal seams.Then, I can FMQ in each section without layers shifting. Open seams can separate a llitle bit and be wonky. Removing a few stitches in the seam area where several seams come together and flattening the place where these seams come together by spinning the seam allowances seems to eliminate bulk. It is true that in garment construction many seams are pressed open but there are lots of situations that the seam is pressed to one side and graded out to remove bulk. When piecing a quilt both ways of pressing have their place.

sparkys_mom

Thanks for the breakdown on this. I've seen the strip sticks and thought they looked like a good DIY project. Lately, I've been doing a lot of pressing open of seams and thinking this might be worth trying. Wonder if Home Depot is open on New Year's Day?

Kris P

The last 3 patterns I've made called for pressing open. Lots of HST meeting at a point. I just read in Judi Madsen's book Quilting Wide Open Spaces not to do this, since it makes stitching in the ditch harder. I guess I won't be SID on this next one.

MargeD

I began my "quilting career" by first becoming a seamstress and making clothes for myself, DD and DGD, when the seams were pressed open. Then I started quilting and was told to press to the side, and now it's considered OK to press seams open. I would suggest that the rule of thumb be whatever works out best for the quilt, sometimes it's better to press open, especially if you have many seams coming together, and other times to use the pressing to one side method. I think it all comes down to personal preference.