Originally Posted by
GingerK
I do not care for seams pressed open--but that is just me and there is nothing wrong with doing things that way. I also do not follow the 'press to the dark' when making a block with lots of HST's. I have been known to lightly finger press the HST seams and lay out a block with the wrong side up. That way, I can figure out which way to press each seam so that they nest properly. Yes, it sounds like a lot of work, but if you need 20 of those blocks, it is a terrific time saver. If the pattern has two alternating blocks, I will do the same for the alternating block so that the two fit together better.
I'm also a "press to the side" fan, especially for white-colored fabrics. I find it easier to nest seams when joining sub-units this way.
Your previewing the blocks for pressing is BRILLIANT! I wish I'd thought of that for the beast I'm working on now (16 of one block, 20 of another, both with many pieces), but will definitely do so for future quilt tops. Thank you so much for sharing that idea/practice!