Quiltingboard Forums - Do NOT iron until the quilt top is DONE!

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Interesting concept! I go with the quilters who need exercise! My formula: cut, pin, sew, press, trim, repeat . . . . . :-)

Over time I have come to believe that each time you press with the iron your piece changes shape ever so slightly. Do it enough and your piece has changed a lot. I think that causes a lot of mis-shapen and ill-fitting pieces of a block.

Gosh, getting up and ironing (in another room) is my form of exercise. I will finger press some seams, but go to the iron to set the seams. A lot of time I will press seams open--"oh my check for the quilt police"!!! grin.

I went to one of her lectures about 1 1/2 yrs ago. She said the same thing. Said she could make that top in a day. I know she cut out ahead of time. LOL. I dont iron as much, but still pin for the intersections. cant manage without.

I was just thinking about this while piecing my last lap quilt. I iron the seams to death. I did try not ironing as much and it turned out well. It justs kills me though to not iron! LOL

Vanessa

I learned this the hard way. The ironing can really distort the fabric so no matter how accurate your measurments and cuttings are the blocks are not the same. Ironing the fabric before starting and then the completed top is excellant information.
Good that you brought this topic into the light! Had I known this years ago it could have saved me a lot of tears and frustration.

I had a really hard time getting my last quilt to go together correctly. I am going to make an effort to not press the next one until the block is together! Thanks! and Thanks, Kaye!

Thanks so much for sharing the Kaye England techique. I hate to iron but have been recently since they say it is the thing to do. Want to thank you for your time in posting this info. Have some Kaye England pieced kits to put together but right now working on a few unfinished projects.

Quote:

Originally Posted by miholmes

Did I get your attention?

I recently took a class with Kaye England and it was kind of a real eye opener. She made us all try creating a block her way just to see how it turned out. Here were her rules:

Iron your fabric first
Then you don't touch the iron again until the block is done. In the real world application it was until the quilt top was done.

While piecing it together you would sew the dark toward the dar without pressing. Her philosophy was, if you measure it right, cut it right, and sew an exact 1/4 right. Then the block will turn out right.

Well I will say this...I'm an ironer....I like to press it all so it like cardboard going through the machine. But when I did it her way I was astonished at how well the blocked turned out. Points were lined up GREAT and another thing....NO PINS!

I wondered if anyone else quilts like this all the time? After such a successful first try, I think I will continue this way, it actually saves a lot of time running back and forth to the iron.

So I would say if you think you might like to do it, TRY a block. I was kinda amazed, did I mention that I'm kinda in love with Kaye England now? :-D

I never press till the block is done and then it is with steam. I do not iron, I press and if its a little wonky I take advantage of the stretch in the crosswise grain and stretch it till its square.

I rarely iron until all finished with the block. And I thought I was just a lazy quilter!