Help! Sage Advice Needed...
 

So I'm making up a pattern found on the internet at http://englandstreet.blogspot.ca/p/more-quilts.html?m=1 called Summer at the Beach. I got all of blocks made pressing to the dark as instructed throughout. Only now do I realize that my seams are not going to nest and I'm trying to line up "V's". So at this point with 4 joined and 60 more to go, I'm thinking there has to be a better way. Also, the instructions say to press the seams alternating directions so when I join the rows they'll nest. Well with everything currently pressed to the dark side, that will make for an extremely thick bumpy seam all over the quilt. So I figured I'd press them open... I'm wondering if I should just repress the seams within the blocks so they'll nest when I go to join them within the rows? What do you think?

You will be lining up a "v" no matter how it's pressed. I would leave it pressed to the dark.

Ya but if the seams are pressed alternately won't it be easier to do?

Try it both ways and see which works best.

I always prefer that my seams nest, and if that is not possible/feasible .... I open the seams.

I also like my seams to nest. Seems ( :) ) I get a better match that way, so unless my light fabric so light weight that the darker fabric will show thru, I press so the seams nest. Having said that, to repress half your blocks will take a bit of time. The only way I've found to make a seam go the other way after it's been pressed is to first press flat, like when you set the seam, then press the way I want it to go. You will have to be extra careful because all your blocks have bias edges and all the handling & ironing may distort them.
As suggested by a previous poster, try re ironing a couple blocks then decide if it's worth the effort.

Looking at it again, I think I'll just do my best to match them the way they are and press my seam open as I think I will prefer the look of the darker fabrics all laying at the same level on the face of the quilt rather than some up and down. Plus it's less work at this point. Once I quilt it, the open seams will be well secured ;-). Thanks for your input.

I would press seams open and "glue pin" the seams at the ironing board before sewing. It would give me the most accurate matching for the V's.

i'm with Prism99 on this--I've found with those diagonal seams all coming together I've started pressing them open o they both match and lay flat so that when I quilt them I don't get "bumps"

So do you mean to press the seams open within the bloc, then join the blocks? I tried the glue basting with the way the seams are pressed now, with limited success, since they are so thick.
thanks.

Call me a cheater or lazy or whatever, but when I've got the not-nesting-already-sewed-these-bad-boys-down problem, I just snip the seam without cutting through it. Then I splay them apart so one goes east, the other west, then starch again, press the dickens out of them, and call it good. I've just never gotten the whole nesting thing down so I compensate. By the time I add batting, quilting, and backing, it all works together.

Yes. Press the seams open within the block, then join the blocks with glue basting. To do this, I would use a straight pin at each intersection 1/4" from the edge, pushing it down into the ironing board straight up and down. Once the seams are pinned, place a tiny drop of Elmer's washable school glue in the seam allowance at each pin and iron to secure. Remove pins and take to sewing machine. I get much better accuracy this way on difficult joins.

Thanks Prism99 for your instructions and for responding so quickly. To be perfectly honest, in this particular case that sounds like way more work than I'm willing to go to on this project, so I think I'll just do my best to construct it as is. However, your method is certainly something I will take note of for reference on a future project where precision is going to be more important to me than in this case. Thanks again!

I understand. I save this technique for jobs that require a high degree of accuracy because of the extra work. Even without glue basting, though, I think it is easier to match up V seams when the seams are pressed open. Good luck!

I press every seam open that I possibly can - within blocks and rows. I like the flatter block/quilt.

I use a variation of Prism's method when joining blocks. I place the pin straight up/down through the intersection but not into the ironing board. I hold that pin steady then place pins normally through the 2 pieces of fabric on either side of that up/down pin. I do not glue but find that the 2 pins on either side of the seam hold everything in place quite well. I also sew over pins (yes, bad girl that I am) and find I don't have shifting issues.

What about when you quilt it? Won't the open be a problem when you try to stitch in the ditch? It's just a thought or do you have someone else longarm quilt it?

i never stitch in the ditch, so it's not an issue for me.

what you have done so far is wonderful. great piecing and matching. open seams help a lot, so i would continue with that.

BTW I love your colors and I agree that the open seams will give you great accuracy. You are headed for a great quilt.

I am glad you made a decision and can get on with piecing. Sometimes it's tough to pick the best way to go and you just have to "pick one" and carry on. But I must also say that your fabrics and fabric colors are wonderful! Also your piecing looks very precise to me so whatever you are currently doing is working. This will be a beautiful quilt and I do hope you will show it here when you are finished with it.

Contrary to the opinion of most, I like seams to be pressed open. I long arm, and I can tell you it makes my job much easier when the seams are open........top lays flatter, bulk is greatly reduced.

I think I would press all the seams south on odd numbered blocks and north on even numbered blocks. Lay them all out separately in two stacks and it wouldn't take long to do that.

I'm with zozee. I do the same way she does and it works for me. I like my seams to nest on their own but if they don't I whip them into shape.

When you sew your blocks together, be sure to lower your stitch length. That way where you are pressing your seams open, they are definitely secure. I press most of my seams open all the time, just use a lower stitch length. Harder to un-sew, but, oh well.

The way the blocks join, I'd press all seams on one block going UP, and the next going DOWN, so the seams can nest.

eta: Oops, just saw that Mavis already told you basically the same thing.

I usually see before I sew which way they need to go. Stick a pin in going up one way and the other going down, then they will nest. If they don't work out that way then I do the seam allowance east and west then flip it back. I only FMQ and go around the intersections to avoid the thick intersections.
I don't want to change needles.

Well if anyone is still following this thread, here is a picture of my progress to date. Three rows of of eight total done. It is not perfect, but I am going with close enough! This quilt has been a bit of a challenge for me, way more than I anticipated, having taken the quilt at face value and not getting overly analytical about the construction details. I mean, how bad could it be, right. Looks simple. But with the method provided and resulting biased block edges and resultant thick seam points and non-nesting seams, I've had my hands full after thinking I'd have it whipped together in no time! Ha! Anyway, to answer the odd question, I do my own quilting, now on a Longarm and plan to do a custom treatment TBD, so do plan to ditch it. As it stands now, the only open seams are those running thru the middle of the squares, so it won't be a problem. I do really like the look so far of the quilt, but if I were to make it again, I'd take a long look at the process first and see if there is an easier way. The fabric is a jelly roll of Southern Exposure by Laundry Basket Quilts and a Moda batik from the Wild Waves collection. Thanks for all of your advice and comments.

A truly beautiful quilt, Kwiltr. Your point matching is unbelievably perfect. Who cares where the seams lie on the back. I know a judge would find those bulky spots, but the rest of us for the rest of our lives can just enjoy the gorgeous quilt.
The reason I'm still on this thread is because I always check the "latest posts" on my profile site. I always have to check to see if anyone has read my posts and answered them. So, I'll be checking this tomorrow! ! ! !

Thanks! They aren't perfect, but I got enough of them so far, I've created an illusion :D. The thing about this pattern is the blocks are created from strip sets that requires the pressing to allow for nesting the sets so you get accurate cutting. Then the blocks are laid out randomly to make a "pleasing arrangement". So the only options are to work with the blocks as is, from the previous pressing, or re press all the seams in the blocks to suit your final block arrangement, and they are all biased edges at that point, which keeps things challenging. I suppose one could try pressing all the seams open from the start to keep it flat, but then the matching of the seams is still a challenge, without the bulk issue and ditching would have to be beside the seam. Oh well, chalk it up to a learning experience! Thanks for your participation!

You sound a bit frustrated ..... this is definitely a time to be using Best Press!!

My avatar quilt is much the same pattern.
I made it before I knew the merits of Best Press (or even starch), and had few problems.
However, I did learn the merits of good pressing practices during the preparatory stages
and at every step along the way.

You have a beautiful quilt in the works and that alone will be worth keeping at it!

l

Thank you! I used Faultless spray starch on the jelly roll strips before using them and I am extremely careful when I press these blocks due to the bias edges. I was just mentioning them as a point of interest or consideration needing extra care and time when piecing. I also have and use Best Press, but find if I really want stability, spray starch is a stronger choice for me. Thank you for your support/encouragement.

I have never heard of Faultless ... we can't get spray starch here any more.
I agree Best Press does not give as much stability as a full on starch.
Some of the LQS' now carry "Flatter" instead of Best Press.
I have tried it, but IMHO it has nothing in it ... I might as well just use a water spritzer.

Your starch should have things nailed down pretty good for you.
.... plus will have any fraying stopped flat!!
It will make for a nice clean back.

Ahhh. I see now you are from Canada too. Sorry, I buy my starch in the US when I'm there. Just like Colour Catchers...

I didn't know whether the starch thing was just an eastern issue! :)

I solved the Colour Catcher problem and buy Dr. Beckmann's.
I can get them here in Metro and Sobeys. Not sure whether you can. Or not?
Though I do stockpile them, for fear that they will disappear at some point too!!

Whatever you have been doing, in the end it has been well worth it .... well, I did not have to do any of the work so maybe it's not fair of me to say that. lol However, the quilt is so lovely that when it is all over, you will have made a most beautiful quilt due in part to the fabrics/colors used and in your pursuit of making it as best you can. Figuring out what works for you in this design and what doesn't is a real education I suppose. So glad I have continued to follow along and learned a bit or two (or three, four, etc.) from your experiences. In the end it will be fabulous!

We can't get Sta-Flo starch in the grocery store here in Wisconsin either. I found it on line and then heard you could buy it at Walmart. I got mine there. Sure works well. I dilute it to one part Sta-Flo to 4 parts water. I use the sprayer that came with my Best Press about 5 years ago.

Another place for a really good spray bottle is at your beauty salon. It sprays mist, not drops.