Help!! How do I press my blocks as I sew without distorting them? It's so frustrating.

Have you washed, starchted and then ironed before cutting? If Not then I have found that the fabric with become distorted ( mis shapened) when ironed.

Oh wow I haven't learned that. Hmmm maybe the stress can be reduced. LOl Thank you

I don't prewash but I do starch a lot and iron before cutting. Some fabrics just seem to like to distort more than others but the starch definitely helps!

Press up and down as much as possible, or only slide the iron to the side once in each area, not back and forth.

Pressing close to the sides of the ironing surface can also cause distortion, stay away atleast a couple of inches from the edges of your board. Where it starts to round over on the edges? It can cause your blocks or fabrics to want to ripple :wink:

Also, if you don't use starch (which I never have...but have finally bought some)
When you are ironing, don't move the iron around on your fabric, this can distort your fabric. Place the iron down, then lift it up before moving on. It is especially important to do this if you use steam (which I don't) or spritz your fabric with water (which I do)
:)

One thing I was doing wrong when I started was 'ironing' and not 'pressing' and also doing it from the bottom (ironing my seams down from the backside instead of from the top of the fabric).
What I do now is 'press' the seam to the side, and then let the iron sit for a bit on top of the seam... it makes a nicer 'press.'

Thank you for all the great advice. I have never been a 'washer'of my fabric but I would like to try starch and to only "press" not iron. Any suggestions on starch or is it all the same? And does the starch leave residue on the iron?

Starch it pretty good and hang til it is dry. I don't have any residue problems doing it this way.
Then you can use steam to iron it, and no distortion :D:D:D

Some of us very strongly recommend washing ALL of your (washable) fabrics before cutting -

I was told to not use the rounded sides of the iron and alway press from the tip of the iron. They also said to open seams at a 90 degree angle from the grain of the fabric

This is so true, if you press your block from an angle, your block will lean that direction...
I was taught to place it laying nice and straight on the ironing surface, and press straight sideways or up or down. If the block is placed at an angle, you are more likely to press straight up/down/to the side and distort it.

No steam, lots of starch, press and lift. I use Mary Ellen's Best Press starch. Don't ask me how I know.

The only times I've had major trouble/problems with distortion is when I've used starch/sizing.

Am I supposed to wait for it to dry before trying to press/iron?

I soaked the piece (didn't mean to, but it got pretty soggy) and then was trying to "shape the piece" by hand before applying the iron to it. it got quite a bit bigger.

Multiple light sprays works for me. I usually spray twice on each side.

Pressing your fabric wet, whether it is water, starch or sizing will cause it to distort. That is why I spray and then let it dry, so the fabric holds it's shape. Hanging wet doesn't seem to distort it, as long as you dont stretch or tug on it.

Aside from starching, having a firm pressing surface is supposed to help a lot. Sharon Schamber has a video on Youtube showing how to make your own. A soft ironing board is not nearly as good for pressing blocks.