Originally Posted by Mandie
I used to always press mine open until a quilting instructor told me that it puts strain on the stitch an may cause it to wear faster. I am not sure if that is true or not but to be on the safe side I now usually press to the darker side unless it causes to much bulk.
I think this is one of those personal preference things. I have a quilting instructor friend who ONLY presses seams open. If it were an actual seam - like in clothing, then there would be some strain. But after it's quilted - especially if it's quilted by machine - the strain is greatly lessened, and the way the seam is pressed is not an issue.