Originally Posted by
Tartan
------ On some patterns like an 8 point star, you can even remove the stitches in the center to swirl the seam allowances to reduce bulk when the eight points meet in the center. 
Also on four patches & nine patches ---any block where you want your seams to turn in opposite directions. As you press, allow the few stitches at the intersections to pop open so the iron can
smash them down flat. (Makes the cutest little "four-patch" on the back.) This greatly reduces
bulk, makes a smoother looking surface from the top side, and makes it easier to FMQ as your machine will glide over those intersections much more easily.
Learned this years ago in a class with Georgia Bonesteel (the original queen of QAYG). She in turn learned it from a student in Billings, MT so Georgia called it the "Billings Bonus".