RoxanneS

Hi, I am new to quilting and paper piecing, but have a question on this block. I have a "knot" of fabrics in the center of the block. How can I trim and flatten the "knot"? As can be seen from the photos, several layers of fabric join at the same seam. Thank you for help :roll:

Pam

Press that big center seam open. That is all you can do. I would press them open for all four quarters on the next one.

Pam

Press that big center seam open. That is all you can do. I would press them open for all four quarters on the next one.

sharon b

I don't have an answer for you , other than that also happens in regular quilting when you have a pattern like a pinwheel. Just press it down

RoxanneS

Thank you so much, I thought pressing a seam open was a "no-no."

sharon b

Not any more. With the machines that we use and smaller stitches you are ok to press it open. Did you shorten your stitch length when you did the piecing ?

virtualbernie

Pressing open is kind of a no no because it weakens the seams but you gotta do what you gotta do. I have seen somewhere years ago that after pressing, you can cover your seams with another piece of fabric and pound the seam with a rubber mallet. Bulky seams is one small price to pay for the perfect points you get in paper piecing...

Pam

I press open all of the time, depends on if the piece calls for it, due to bulk. If you do the mallet thing, press then whack it a good one while still hot. Do NOT use a steel hammer, it will make your fabric shiny where you smacked the living daylights out of it.

amma

I press all of the seams open in these types of blocks when joining them together. Then I put a drop of water in the center of the 4 blocks, when joined, on the front and back and press it well from both sides (after I take out the paper in the seams). They will usually lay nice and flat then :D:D:D

dakotamaid

Good advice from everyone. Here is what I was taught in a class. Remove just a couple of stitches from the ends of all those seams, than spread the ends out as you press. Clear as mud? Maybe someone here can explain it better.