quiltingshorttimer

working on a sampler right now that is definitely a mix. I have also found that pressing open the seams on half sq. triangles makes it all lay flatter too.

Daffy Daphne

I often mix the way seams are pressed within a block. For instance, in my spiderweb quilt Deep Purple (Spiderweb quilt, "Deep Purple"), the wedges are strip pieced, with the seams pressed to the side, but the seams joining the wedges are pressed open because I have better luck matching the bulky centers that way.

Daffy

earthwalker

I press open because I find it easier.

tallchick

I always press seams open, however sometimes a block will tell you how it wants to be pressed and I listen, I’m currently finishing a quilt that has mixed methods in it and while a majority of the seams are pressed open, there are a few that wouldn’t behave so I pressed them accordingly.

illinois

I usually press to the side. When doing stitch in the ditch, I'm not sewing through the stitched seam and risking breaking the thread of the seam.

sandy l

Pressing seams open was so automatic when I did clothing, that it just carried over to my quilting.

Railroadersbrat

It depends on the block for me. Most of the time, I press seams open, that's just how I learned to quilt, but I also know there are times that it's better for the block to lay flat that the seams needs to be on one side or the other. Blocks like the pinwheel are ones that I insist on pressing the seams open, way too many intersecting seams right in the middle of the block, the bulk and weight just feels weird, but blocks such as a nine patch, I can press to one side and I'm happy with it.

L'il Chickadee

Recently I took a class for making Lallybroch Lane and I decided to make mine in the small size. Our teacher advised that on the small quilt to press the seams open, especially for the Lemoyne Star block. I'd heard of using 1/8th inch seams for smaller piecing but pressing seams open was news to me. She did recommend we also use a shorter stitch length.

Iceblossom

What L'il Chickadee said about the shorter stitch length is important. I just updated another thread with similar questions that I believe in a smaller stitch if you press open and/or if you strip piece where you are cutting sub-units.

What I've observed over the last 5 years with my friends is the default stitch on most of the modern machines is a little too large for my style of sewing/quilting. The modern Bernina my friend gave me and I've been learning over the past year fooled me at first because it starts each row with a small set of stitches, but as I was cutting sub-units the stitches were coming out so I had to adjust the default to suit me.

Keep in mind, if you have a 1/4" seam allowance you need more than 1 stitch in there to be secure!

So what I do is sew two scraps together, cut it in half and tug a bit to open the seam, if 3-4 stitches loosen (not even come all the way out but if you see the deep V), tighten up your stitch. It's not a huge amount, just a bit makes things more secure and for those without vision issues but with patience you can still take out the stitches.

Peckish

I like to press my seams in a way that facilitates nesting and flat seams.

I find it odd that a teacher would instruct you to press the seams on a Lemoyne star block open. It's so easy and reduces so much bulk if you swirl them.

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Sounds like your machine has an automatic lock stitch feature.