Originally Posted by weezie

It depends on the quilt pattern. I recently did a French Braid and I pressed each piece after sewing (the instructions in the book told me I must press!). Much of the time I don't because it makes it very difficult to make corrections if seams have been pressed with a hot iron. So, usually, I just finger press or use the little wooden pressing tool until I'm sure everything fits together exactly right. The downside to that is the monster pressing job I have when I'm finished the quilt so I need to train myself to press the quilt top in sections before I get them all sewn together.

Originally Posted by SewExtreme

HI, I am in love with Jo Morton's cabin corners quilt pattern. It uses 5" squares of either log cabin or courthouse steps. There is a lot of sewing, pressing and squaring up as you go around the block.

Recently two shop owners have told me that they do not press as they sew. The reason each has stated is that it is wasting time and that you avoid stretching your fabric out of shape. They find their blocks come out more accurate.

I have just begun to do and find that I complete blocks faster and I am closer to my desired block size when finished. Each owner told me that you simply lay the seam which way it should go and sew it in place.

What do you do?

Press and sew

OR

sew and sew?

Originally Posted by amma

This is another reason I like to use starch, I can finger press a lot of seams and they stay nicely enough that a quick press at the end is all that may be necessary :D:D:D

Originally Posted by Honey

The way it was explained to me is that there is a difference between pressing and ironing. When you press, you do one section and then lift up the iron and put it down on the next section. You don't slide the iron like you do with ironing. That way you don't stretch your fabric. She said that is why it is called pressing. You place your iron, press down, lift and place your iron on the next section, press down and so on. I hope that helps and doesn't confuse you. I always press as I go because it gives you a crisper seem to work with and is just so much easier than a seem that is not pressed. Also, it helps your seems and corners come together better.

Originally Posted by Brenda Retzlaff

When you press do you use steam or just the dry iron?