How wide are your seams in quilting?
 

I read today's quilt article about ironing seams. One sentence struck me as interesting and I wish I had wrote it down but it was that ironing seams open is OK now and we used standard width seams. I wouldn't mind ironing seams open but I seem to get burned way too often. Are you all using the scant 1/4 seam in quilting if you iron your seam open ? How do you keep from getting burned?

I don't use steam.

I do not press seams open very often because I think they are easier to 'nest' for joining to the next seam crossing it. I also think it is easier to quilt because of stitching in the ditch. I STID around squares, borders and binding on every quilt. I take of bulk that can happen when nested seams are crossed by taking our stitches in the seam lines and spinning (opening) the seam allowances. It works very nicely. That being said, if I do need to press a seam open, I finger press it open first and then I do not burn by fingers. You could also use the little wood block iron for this purpose.

1/4" and iron to one side.

I use 1/4" seams - sometimes they're scant - all the time, I press open as much as possible and I use steam. I generally finger press all of my seams open first or use a pressing tool and don't normally burn my fingers. Sometimes I skip the finger pressing part when I'm in a hurry and forget but I still manage to get my fingers out of the way in time.

I don't use steam either but I sure burn my fingers. I also have those little shovel things but when you have just chain pieced 100 little HST, who has time to finger press ?

One class I went to the instructor insisted we iron the seams open. I had seen so many do this before and they for some reason burn their fingers. At the time I had a couple "craft/aka popsicle sticks. These worked just fine. I left her class early because she called me a wimp for using it and referred to wimping out a few times and glancing over at me directly. Anyway try a craft stick. Super cheap to use and purchase.

I always iron my seams to one side as I think it's easier to match them than if they are pressed open. I made one pattern that said to press them open, but I had problems with matching and didn't think it reduced bulk.
If you would like to try, I would open the seam and use a wooden iron or your finger to open the seam, then iron so you are not trying to open the seam 1 or 2 inches in advance of the iron. You can also try using a bamboo skewer.

When Shar Jorgensen was on TV she taught to open every seam, I had been taught press to the dark so it was difficult at first but then it was quite easy if I remember correctly she used her fingernail to open the seam. So when I am doing something that requires open seams that is what I do then use a wooden iron. I actually made 2 queen size quilts that way with no problems. BTW definitely using a scant quarter inch!

Slow down a bit. The only time I burn myself is when I'm hurrying.

I have started pressing all my seams open. I use a shorter stitch length. Finger press with my finger nail. I get better matched seams this way over nesting my seams. I guess it is to each his own. I started this after taking a Leah Day class. It works for me, but if pressing to one side works for you, that is by all means what you should do. Remember there are no quilt police, not at my house anyways.

I use pressing finger tips. There are many kinds. I use the silicone ones.

For sure!

Most times, my seams are pressed to the side, but sometimes, open pressed seams are required.

Generally I just press carefully ..... a shot of steam whether from your iron, or a spritzer bottle can often help get those seams tamed and flat, whether open or closed. Best Press is a good aid to keep them there for the long term too! :)

Actually, I have found, fabric that has been Best Pressed before stitching, cooperates quite nicely when pressing after each line of stitching for blocks.

I avoid finger pressing as much as possible, but when/if I really must ......
I use that little plastic scraper that came with my Pampered Chef stoneware.
It's a decent size and is not going to break (like a popsicle stick might)
which makes it easier to hold onto and "scrape" along for the "finger" press.

I press most seams to the dark side, but if I have to press open I use the pointed tip of the iron get the seam opening started. Then just follow it along the seam.

I have some serger tweezers that I use to hold open the seams -- I can also use an awl on one side and the iron on the other. I do 1/4" seams and press open the seams when there are a lot of them converging together.

Sorry, but I don't know the name of this, so please bear with my description!
There is a thing you can wear on your finger, like a thimble, and it has a awl like spike sticking out of it.

The idea is that you have it on your non-iron hand and then the pointer can hold your fabric in place, and all that the iron might touch would be the metal point.

I tried one ... but felt like a total klutz ... and went back to carefully using my fingers and the point of the iron!!! :)

OMG! Never, NEVER take abuse, disrespect, or negative pressure from an instructor!! Never give it either, of course. But always report such to the shop owner, workshop planner so they can decide whether to remove the instructor from their classes.

I had to do so when I owned my shop years ago, and that instructor had been one of the former owners! I guess she thought her former ownership gave her special status. But there were too many reports of her behavior in class and I would not tolerate it.

If you don't feel it's appropriate to speak up in class about her remarks or eye rolls, then leaving and advising the owner is the best plan. And I'd personally ask for a refund.

Jan in VA

I've seen these things called Strip Sticks, and have considered trying them.

http://www.thestripstick.com/

Clover makes a similar gadget with extra features, but it would not be suitable for longer seams.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO65oDTQ4yQ

seam stick when pressing open. I try to only press open for bulky seams

I am also a nester so I prefer to press to one side when I can...when piecing, I use a scant quarter-inch. I am working on another scrappy Arkansas crossroads and trying to press open for this quilt but I have to be diligent about pinning and matching my seams.

I feel that pressing the seams open may allow that seam to weaken and also allow the batting to show through. If one presses the seams to one side, the seam is less likely to separate IMHO.

Yes, this is how I do my seams, nesting them. I especially like them this way when putting them on a Longarm machine. They quilt really nice because they are nested.

I prefer to press, without steam, to the dark when possible, or whichever way they nest the best. That being said, sometimes I press open if there is a lot of seams meeting at one area to reduce bulk. Remember, no quilt police.

I tend to lean toward this logic.....but it may be archaic now with better battings, stronger threads, etc. but pressing to side, preferably dark, if possible, had just been what I do...the few times I have had a project that needed open seams, I've used my little clover iron......

Wonder. If she eventually tried the idea for herself?

Better wimpy than burned.

I also use a scant 1/4" seam allowance.

I made myself a tool to press open seams. Get a large wooden dowel (approx. 1 1/2 in diameter) and nail a strip of lath (1" X 1.5" X 1/4") to it for stability. Sand it if necessary, but make sure it is clean. Do Not put a finish on it. Then all you have to do is lay the seam on top of the dowel, the seam will pop open enough for the tip of the iron to open it the rest of the way. I use steam and no fingers get in the way.

I only press seams open when a lot of them come together. Mine are 1/4" and I don't use steam. Most of the time I finger press the individual components and don't do a final press until the block is complete.
The other thing I have to remember is to not STID in the pressed-open seams.

I sew with a scant 1/4" seam. Usually I press to the dark but, for some patterns, I prefer to press the seams open. I found that my strip sticks make this a lot easier. Here is a link to them:
http://www.thestripstick.com/

while I usually will press "to the dark", I've found that when I have several seams coming together (like with several HST all coming to a point), that they lay flatter when quilted if I press seams open. I treated myself to a StripStick (which you can make but I never seem to get those things done!) which when you lay the block so the seam is facing up on top of the StripStick the seams open and you can iron right on the Stick. I still sometimes "wimp" out (how rude she said that too you Tessagin--should have complimented how ingenuous you were) and use a stiletto (bamboo stick) too.

I use a 1/4 inch seam and press to the dark side. The only time I press seams open is if I do tiny blocks, try to reduce bulk. I do not like seams that are pressed open because when you quilt it is a weaker area.

Sounds like she wasn't open to the ideas of others - maybe a bit of a bully?

I still use 1/4 in, I press to the side. The pressing to the side started way back when as a way to keep the batting from coming thru the seams after it being used/washed. I don't know if that still applies today's batting but I still do it. Plus, I normally will have seams that but up to each other and it makes it so much easier to have them all match when the seam is pressed in opposite directions. When I press, not iron, I first press the iron down on the seam as it comes off the sewing machine, this locks in the stitches, then I push them to one side and press them down in the direction that I want them to go. I normally use steam and lots of times I use starch.

I press open with a orange stick just ahead of the iron. It works well for me.

Wow, how rude!

I use 1/4 seam and iron to side . On Flannel I use 1/2 inch seams.