I only press the seams open when they become too bulky, like when HST corners meet. When I think I will have to press them open, I use a 1.6 or 1.8 stitch length to keep the seam from unraveling. I press all seams in long borders open and press my binding seams open. These joins just show up too much for me when I press them to the side.
Bottom line....it's what you want to do when you want to do it. If you want to press all of them open, then go for it. I wouldn't, because it is a lot harder with the quarter inch seam to press them open and I am a bit lazy and am a lot more likely to burn my fingers and it takes me a lot longer. I only do it in the special circumstances mentioned above.
Note added: when you get used to nesting the seams, it becomes much more natural to press them to the side. I did have to press some of the seams open when I was working on Judy Niemeyer's Bali Wedding Star. Those pesky points would NOT line up when I tried pressing them to each side. I wish I could subscribe to the galloping horse view, but I just can't. If I can see it from a foot, then it has to be fixed.
Last edited by Barb in Louisiana; 03-11-2015 at 04:37 AM.