Originally Posted by
nhweaver
I do press seams most of the time, but sometimes, I use a plastic gizmo (don't know the name) to finger press them. Recently I added a nightstand to the left of my sewing table when I keep a padded board and my iron. It reminds me to press.
Setting seams is not the same as pressing them and can only be done with a hot iron. It's when you press the iron down flat on the seam just as it was sewn, before you press it open or to one side. It gets rid of any little puckers and sinks the seam threads down into the fabric, making for much more accuracy and a clean, sharp seam line.
I always set my seams and it makes a huge difference. The only disadvantage to setting is if you have to remove stitching; it's harder with sunken threads. I always set my seams using a steam setting and no starch (I never use starch). The precision it adds is SO worth the bit of extra effort.