Press seams
 

I'm just taking this chance to ask a probably rather stupid question :o. When piecing blocks together, e.g. a four patch, should I press the seams open or to one side?

Either way is considered "proper".

To a certain extent, how you press each unit will depend on what the units will be set with/in.

I prefer to press most of the seams to one side because it is easier for me to get the intersections "right" that way.

Other people press all of their seams open.

These blocks were finger(nail) pressed. I've found that many times that is adequate pressing while a block is being constructed.

The bottom line for me is - it depends. I have no problem with using "mixed methods" when assembling a block. A few years ago it had to be "all one way" - but now - whatever works!

When chain piecing, I now "sew" about 1/2 inch between each unit - because I feel that leaving about 1/4 inch of thread extending beyond the fabric helps minimize pulling apart of the pieces.

On a 4 patch like this, i like to press to the dark side as you can "nest" the seams which helps in matching them. I press open whenever i have a patch that has multiple seams converging (like a star block) because it makes less bulk. But - there are no quilt police - and you do whatever works best for you.

On this four patch, I like to have the seams going in one direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) so you can make that tiny pinwheel in the center so you avoid the bulk in the center. I agree with Tartan. I ONLY open my seams when there are so many points intersecting in the center.

I press to the side unless there's a really good reason not to. When the top is quilted, if any of those stitches come loose, I think there will be less chance of batting coming through.

Thanks for all your tips! So pressing the seams open could let the batting come through. But isn't it harder to (hand-) quilt when the seams are pressed to one side as it gets thicker?

I too only press my seams open when the block calls for it (lots of seams coming together in 1 point) or on a One Block Wonder.

NOTE: When pressing seams open you really need to shorten your stitch length, on my Bernina I always use a 2 which I believe is 12 stitches to the inch. Most machines (new) default to about 10. Also think about how you are going to quilt it - I haven't tried it but a lot of people say to NOT stitch in the ditch on seams pressed open. When you think about it that makes sense - you are going to be stitching into stitches and have the chance that you could be breaking those that are holding your pieceing together. Of course that is if unlike me you actually hit a ditch.

Excellent illustration. I try to spin mine - though the last time I did it, I forgot to release a stitch or two and ended up very lumpy.

Cheers, K

I have to say that I'm actually hand piecing - I don't have a sewing machine. So what you're saying lets me think it would be a better idea to press the seams to the side as adjusting stitch length is not that easy by hand...

Yes, it does make sense to me that for quilting in the ditch the seams should probably be pressed to the side.

"When chain piecing, I now "sew" about 1/2 inch between each unit - because I feel that leaving about 1/4 inch of thread extending beyond the fabric helps minimize pulling apart of the pieces."

I only just recently figured this out. It's made a huge difference!

"I'm actually hand piecing"

I believe that when hand piecing, pressing to one side adds to the strength of the seam. That's not the case when machine piecing.

DebD800

In my opinion, the right answer is.. there is no "right answer"! There are times when pressing your seams open IS the best option, for many reasons. It's really a case-by-case decision, depending on the block you're making... or sometimes just the unit within the block you're making. Sometimes you'll do it to avoid bulk, sometimes to avoid having a darker color show up behind a lighter one. If pressing your seams open gives you a smoother and better looking end result, then THAT is the way to go in THAT situation. Your seams shouldn't be any weaker, either. If you fear that they will be, take shorter stitches, and take an extra stitch at the beginning and end of the seam. There's always a way to do what pleases you. :)

Always "Come to the dark side, Clarisse"!! LOL (of course you have to say it with a creepy voice)!

There is no one answer.

I do want to say though that I always press my seam open and have never had batting come through. The only way I could think for that to happen is if one is using a very long stitch.

Never had a seam pop open rither.

When hand stitching use very close small stitches. It will be easier to quilt with the seams pressed open. Try it and see if they will be okay. I would buy a cheap machine and sew them that way, Unless you are very young or very fast you won;t get many quilts made. Good luck.

Tartan is correct...as a longarm quilter I have found that if there are more than 4 fabrics at an intersection, it creates a lump and pressing open those seams helps to spread out the thick lump of fabric! Other than that, there is no "rule", so press in a way that works best for you. If I am stitching in the ditch, it is easier to hit that ditch with the fabric pressed to the dark - for some reason the lighter thread hides in the ditch more easily for me. But ditch work is really usually only done on a DSM if you are doing that all over or for show quilts when it is done on a longarm (expensive because it takes some time to slow down and hit that ditch precisely!).

Personally, I would never press hand-sewn seams open. There are gaps in a hand-sewn seam, whereas there are not gaps in a machine-sewn seam. When you press to the side, you are covering the gaps in the seam, which is why this practice developed in the first place. I think hand-sewn seams pressed open would almost certainly result in batting coming out. Plus, you don't really have a ditch to stitch in if you open seams. For hand quilting, you'd want to stitch on the side without the seam allowance. Yes, it is a real pain to hand quilt through seam allowances, which is why I try to avoid it whenever possible. This is one of the reasons why quilting designs for a hand quilted piece will be very different from designs for a machine quilted piece. Seam allowances don't have to be avoided when machine quilting.

Absolutely don't SID on those open seams!!

this is how I do it.

One can also "twirl" the seams at the center of a LeMoyne star.

The only place I have a gap when I hand stitch a block is at the center of something like a LeMoyne star - and I have now learned to take a few stitches to close up the hole.

It is surprisingly hard to unsew one of my handsewn seams.