rryder

I usually starch instead of steam

janjanq

I tend to over press also. I recently purchased one of those wooden pressing blocks (I forget the proper name for these) and it seem to help get seams flatter. However I'm spending the winter in Florida and forgot to bring it with me!

Reba'squilts

Steam for me!

Bobbielinks

I'm a no steamer. I don't want my seams to be completely flat (I just want them to lay to one side) because it makes it easier for me to SID if I have that tiny hump to stitch against.

ginnie6

well it seems that it has a LOT to do with the iron you are using. At quilting group she has an expensive (to me) iron. I love it. It's a big heavy thing. Here, at home I have a cheap iron. I tried steam with it yesterday and was disappointed in it. So at home I guess I will stick with my bottle of lavendar scented starch.

Donnamarie

Definitely steam, cannot understand how anyone could use a dry iron. Have to have steam.

Geri B

Steam, press, not iron..next purchase - a clapper from Nancy's notions!

MadQuilter

It depends. Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I have rhyme and reason but it's more intuitive therefore hard to explain.

carolynjo

I do use steam but also use dry heat. I was lucky enough to find a lightweight iron that has no steam holes in the sole plate so that is what I use most often.

quiltingshorttimer

I steam, including pumping lots of steam into my yardage before I cut--so any shrinkage happens then. I am careful to press, not iron, and when I have any bias edges on my blocks,I will use either Best Press, or more often actual spray starch.
as a Long Armer for others, if they haven't gotten nice flat seams when they are putting their blocks together, there is no way that I can quilt it and it will be a flat seam, there's a little tuck (which usually won't show, but you might be able to run your finger nails along it and feel it). I recently had a friend use another quilter and she complained about this, I explained to her that the seam was not flat in the block, so there's nothing the LA can do to make it flat. Make sense?