Open seams or pressed to one side
 

Dear Fellow Quilters,
When you have 8 pieces meeting together in the center of a block,
do you press the main seam when you join both sides (each side has 4 pieces)
open or to one side? Also, do you tend to open the seams or press to the side
when you are first sewing each two pieces together to make the four piece on one-half of the block?
I am trying to do it the way that would be less bulkier in the center for when the long-arm machine quilts my quilt.
Thank you so much for your help in this matter.

I used to press my seams towards the darker fabric but since I started to make mini quilts I now press all my seams open. There is less bulk.

Thanks Sync.

I always press to the side. It prevents the batting from creeping up through the stitches and the quilting stitches from possibly breaking the seams during quilting.

I always press open if at all possible. Have not had issues with batting popping through and find it makes for a flatter block all the way around. Particularly when lots of seams are meeting.

Are you able to open the place where they come together like a pinwheel? If so, that's what I'd do that--but I'm pressing open more and more where there are many seams that come together due to bulk, and without any "bearding" of the batting.

I'd probably do a sample block and play around with it and see what leaves less bulk.

I "pinwheel" my seams to reduce bulk when 8 pieces meet -- so seams are going to the same side of each quarter of he block.

I made clothing for myself and family members for many years, so I've always been taught to press the seams open. Unless I have a fabric where the seam is going to show up as a shadow on the face of the quilt, I press my seams open. With the improvements in batting products, I have not had any problems with "bearding". Of course, I am just an Official Rank Amateur, so I might be proved wrong. If the stitches are short enough, there shouldn't be a problem with bearding, even with SITD!

I find it easier to press to one side and the seams fit together just fine in the pinwheel. So. :) you see everyone does it their own way, there is no wrong way. Whatever works best for you