steam or dry iron?
press from the front or the back?

I press from the back and use steam. and then turn over and press the front. I know some people say use a dry iron, I really like the steam. Make sure you press your block and are not ironing back and forth, that can stretch the material.

:)

I press from the front and then the back, too. I start out with a dry iron, but some fabrics cannot be tamed without steam :wink:

Yea me too, but seems like I always have to give it a shot of steam.

Depends on the pattern and how the seams want to lie (or not). I usually start from the back and then give the front a press. I usually don't use steam until the top is finished.

I recently learned about clapping boards. Tailors used them to make professional looking seams. I was skeptical until I used one. It makes a big difference. My blocks lay flat. If you have one of the old flat irons that would work great on the flat seams in piecing. I have learned that proper pressing makes a big difference. I pay as much detail to it as I do getting a 1/4 seam. I use a very hard pressing board, one thin layer of batting covered with cotton duck/ticking/canvas. A soft surface will let the block sink in and the block won't lay flat. I use a dry iron I starch and iron my fabric before cutting.

I watched a quilting show once, I think it might have been Elenore Burns. She use to press the seam closed "to set the seam" and then press it open. That is what I do. Set the seam, press the back and sometimes the front if I think it needs that little extra. I always use steam, that is the only way I will ever get a facial. :)

I like steam and use a Rowenta travel iron for my pieced blocks.
Lightweight seems to be the answer for keeping blocks shape.
For large pieces of fabric that I have just washed I use a cheap steam iron from Walmart.

when i first started i used steam and pressed from both sides but was never happy with my work.

i think the steam and repeated pressing distorted my work.

now i only use a dry iron and i only press from the front and i use the lift and set the iron down on the fabric method instead of moving the iron around as if i'm ironing DHs shirt.

I fill my iron with water but turn the steam setting to off. There is no such thing as "off" on my iron :lol: I get just the slighest amount of steam and it seems to be the happy medium for me.