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Old 02-29-2016, 03:20 AM
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MeadowMist
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 209
Default Pressing seams open?

Hi - I made a couple of flannel quilts last year and the instructions said to press the seams open instead of to one side because of the bulk of the fabric. With my next quilt (not flannel) I again tried this method and found I much preferred pressing the seams open - it make the seams and squares lie flatter and as with the flannel, there was less bulk. In general it looked neater.

Is there any reason why one shouldn't be pressing the seams open? I understand how pressing to one side when sewing the seams together can be helpful in that the seams fall together nicely (though I still end up with a lot of intersections that don't match and I usually end up basting all the intersections before sewing up) and I'm thinking pressing to the dark side is supposed to eliminate dark fabric showing though (but I didn't notice this happening in the one quilt I made with seams pressed open).

Does it affect the workmanship at all? Does pressing to one side make for a stronger seam? I really want to press open because it seems to work for me but if there is a good reason why I shouldn't I won't do it. Let me know what you think!
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