Need help with nesting seams
 

How in the world do you get nested seam? I just completed a 12 1/2 in block with 20 pieces. The seams were going every which way. Not a one was nicely nested or matching. Help please.

rvs fan, when I have a block with that many pieces, especially HSTs, I press all my seams open. (The Quilt Police haven't come to my door yet). I find my block is flatter and I can match up the seams easier since the lines I'm trying to match are straight, not covered over by the seam allowance. I've also found it's easier to quilt without "bumping" up and down over seam allowances. Just my humble experience and opinion.

Exactly what I was going to say - press seams open. Easy to line seams up and sew together and everything else jan said.

Something I've recently discovered is the little red clips by Clover. I was sewing long strips of squares and Hst's together, then sewing the long strips together and matching the seams. Those little clips work like a dream!! And they are real easy to remove as you sew. They are a little pricey, but oh so worth it!

I have started the practice of pressing all seams open and I love the way the blocks lay nice and flat. Where ever a seam matches I pin right in the seam line of both top and bottom block and they match up nicely.

Peace

It depends on the pattern. I often press all the alternating blocks and rows in opposite directions so the seams nest when they meet. However, there are plenty of times they don't and I have actually ended up with fat seams and flipped seams. I don't like the fat seams because that bump can get noticed and is hard to quilt out. If in doubt, press seams open. Just don't plan to Stitch in the Ditch when you do.

I press seams open as well. As others have said, flatter blocks and it makes lining up seams, matching points, etc. far easier. And instead of SITD quilting, I'll usually echo the seams about 1/4 either side.

When you have that many seams, pressing them all open is often the easiest way, instead of trying to figure out which way they need to be pressed. Ask me how I know this. LOL

Sometimes on a block with many pieces like yours, it can help to draw a map of the pressing directions. Draw the block and put a little arrow on each seam. Keep that on your ironing board and you'll soon be nesting without even thinking about it.

I pin both sides of the seam allowance and remove the pins just before the needle gets to them. The top seam allowance should point towards the needle so it pushes towards the seam when you sew and not away from it.

I never press my seams open and the blocks are still dead flat. No matter which way you do it, there are still two layers of seam allowance and two folded seams on each side of the seam line so the only difference is in how sharply you press.