I was taught to press my seams open by my 1st quilting teacher & do so to this day. I think it really helps keep your stuff straight. And I also think it helps the completed top lay flatter when you sandwich it. Just my thoughts on the subject...

The other advantage... you don't have to do all that figuring about which seams goes what way. I see Eleanor Burns on TV & she's explaining how this one has to go this way so it will lock with the one that goes that way... forget that noise. Press them open & then you can just line the sewing lines up... voila!

I'm a hand piecer and hand quilter. Pressing the seams to one side seems to be the norm since the seams tend to be stronger. It does make for some bulk when hand quilting, though.

I also press them to one side. First I set the seam and then to press to the darkest. I've never had a pleat problem. Pressing them to one side keeps the batting from ever coming thru the seams in the future with washings and wear.

I have examined quilts I still have around from ten and more years ago that I pressed the seams open. No batting has come out the seams so far and I used a lot of fluffy poly batting found back then. No broken threads either. I use a small stitch length. Most of the quilts I made then were made from Walmart fabric blends, poly batting and 40wt thread that cost 2 spools for $1. Still looking good! Not heirloom of course but they are used a lot.

A long time quilting friend suggested I use a chop stick when pressing seams open. Next time we went out for chinese food, I asked for chopsticks and have used those since. Works great and no cost (other than the dinner, lol)

heheh..did you follow my direction?
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...l-t176984.html

I, too, use that devise when I am pressing seams open. I usually have my iron set on maximum steam and get burned if I don't use it.

When hand quilting, if you want to stitch-in-the-ditch, you need to press the seams to one side. There is just no real "ditch" if you press the seams open. For hand quilters, I would say it depends on how you want to quilt it whether you press open or to one side. I also find that pressing to one side to form "locking" seams when joining pieces makes my piecing much more accurate. So I still vote for pressing to one side most of the time. I just press carefully to avoid that pleat.

pants and trousers are pressed open and they seem to hold up very well. I think quilts should do the same once they are quilted.