Seams: Press Open or to the Side?
 

I am seeing instructions both to press seams open and also to press to the side. I'm most familiar with pressing them open, but perhaps there are advantages to pressing to the side that I don't know about. I'm pretty certain consensus will be divided, but please, tell me which way you do it and why.

Thanks,
Carla

I press to the side so the seams nest better. If I stitch in the ditch I also prefer the seams to one side -- just don't like sewing through the thread if they are pressed open. You will get opinions from those preferring to press the seams open. Bottom line is you need to do what works best for you!

Usually to the side, particularly if I need nesting seams, or if I want the seam to be towards the dark fabric. Occasionally I will press seams open if I want a nice flat seam. I just made a pieced background for an applique block and I pressed the seams open - I was going to iron on some fusible fleece and wanted the background piece to be extra flat.

Since I am self taught, I have always put them to one side or the other. I feel it is a stronger seam that way, but my sister sometimes puts them open, as they lie (lay) flatter. Whatever works best for you.

I perfer open pressed seams; I feel the finish is better. To me open seams are just as strong; aren't all your clothes open seams. And our clothes get a lot more stress on seams that quilts do. Here is a video I love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_5X...dizgDn&index=4

I press open . I like the flatter finish to the block. ...And it always seems when I have tried the press to the dark side I end up with a multiple seams coming together making a big "pile" at the junction. I know some say its stronger......but I have been pressing open for decades and have not had weak seams with open pressed seam allowances.

I usually press to the side, but I made a carpenters star and pressed those open. I loved not having to try to figure out which side to press to. Just got busy stitching it together. The star's center laid a lit flatter too. I usually do the snip and swirl on the star's center to reduce bulk, but open seams was much easier. Try both ways and see which you like best. I don't think there's a right way, just a personal preference way. I confess I still probably prefer pressing to one side, though. Happy stitching!

Actually, a lot of our clothes have flat felled seams or a seam where both edges are sewn together.

It is true that suits and some dressy garments do have pressed open seams - usually with some sort of seam finish. These seams are usually considerably wider than 1/4 inch.

But the bottom line is - what works for you. It is a lot easier for me to press 1/4 inch seams to one side than to less them open.

But, on rare occasions, I will press them open when that seems to be the better way to deal with the process at that point.

I was taught to press to the side. Seemed strange at first because garment sewing is what I had done before with seams pressed open. However I think you get a stronger seam pressing to the side and it does help to nest them in patterns that you need to align seams/blocks. I only press open if the pieces in the block are very small and close together as it makes multiple layers a litte flatter.

For me, it depends wholly and completely on the situation and the quilt. If I need the seams to match, usually I press to one side so they nest. However, several months ago I was commissioned to make a quilt, "Night Sky" by Jaybird Quilts. Because it was a commercial pattern and I was making it for a customer, I followed the directions exactly, which said to press seams open. I was glad I did, because there were several seams coming together in one spot and it would have been a nightmare if I'd pressed to the side.

Pressed open is neater looking IMO, but pressed to the side gives more stability.

And that is why God made rubber mallets. (to hammer down thick seams)

Most of the time I press to 1 side(darker). But, I have had a couple of quilts that I had to repress a seam in order to nest.
I have a quick panel quilt I started today out of flannel & am trying pressing open seams so I have a smoother top for quilting. It will depend on the project how you press. Neither 1 is the 'only' way.

You should not press seams open if you've hand pieced, or if you want to stitch in the ditch. If machine piecing, it isn't necessary to press to the side, but you may still want to, depending on the quilt design. I do both, depending on the quilt.

I usually press to the side. I tried open once and just felt hinky about it the whole time. For certain seams, like if a lot of seams meet in one place or something, I will press open to reduce the bulk.

Looks as if the majority press to the side. I know that traditionally quilts do press to the side but as I said I am seeing even top-notch quilting instructors tell you to press open. As in knitting and crochet, there are no Quilting Police (well, unless you send it to the State Fair or something) but I was curious how it is going with modern quilters who are in the forefront of today's quilting. I have already pressed to the side on my top and probably won't be changing it now. I do wonder, however, if the small ¼" seam has something to do with the mandate to press to the side. It's not impossible but is difficult to open a seam that small, whereas in dressmaking it's very easy to open a 5/8" seam. Perhaps it began very practically.

Thank you, all who have answered. I am impressed with how kind this board is to a newbie like me and also with how fast-moving it is. I feel as though I can actually get questions answered here.

~ Carla ~

Press open for flatness unless I plan on custom quilting it. Then SID may be needed so I press to side. A couple of pieces of quarter round glued together with flattest side up make a great pressing board when pressing seams open. Place under quilt. Keeps seam elevated so you don't mess up rest of quilt when pressing.

I have only ever stitched in the ditch through open seams. I'm sure that's not what I will do with this quilt top I have finished (SID, I mean) but it would be interesting to try it to see how I like it.

~ Carla ~

Open seams: could cause batting to beard thru; if quilted right on that joining thread could split that thread and weaken seam; and rubber mallet on those seams could break down the fibers and cause weaken weave....

All the above are COULDs....we make our own choice as to what works for us......

I, personally iron to side, nest as joining, "Spin" those multiple joins and recently found the clapper helps to make those bulky seams flatter, but that's my choice too.

I prefer to press to one side, but the pattern dictates this. Sometimes if there is too much bulk at an intersection, it is best to press open. If you plan to SID, it is best to press to one side.

Mostly I press to the side because it is easier. Sometimes the pattern is better pressed open. Whatever works for what I am working on.

Last year my sister and I were making the same exact quilt (BOM) and compared our first block. She followed the pattern's instructions about pressing to the side. I like to press open. My block was flatter, with nice crisp seams, and she wanted to know how I had managed it. I have quilted her quilt tops with side-pressed seams for her and found them to be difficult at times, where the bulk of the seams coming together made it difficult to quilt over. As a quilter, I prefer open seams; you get crisper lines, less bulk, and no humps to deal with.

I only press seams open if I am working with very narrow strips, half inch or less finished width. I press to the side even where multiple seams meet, in the center of a star for instance, because I spiral them to eliminate the bulk. With sharp pressing, all seams lie flat...and that's without pounding on them with a hammer. SID is not technically possible (nor acceptable in competition) with open pressed seams since there is no 'ditch' (lower side), but I think many quilters now sew right on top of the stitching line instead of a thread or two to the side of it.

Why do I press to the side?...By pressing to the side I guarantee the seam threads will not be visible thus giving me wider freedom with piecing thread color; I save the hassle of trying to smoothly press quarter inch seams open; I guarantee nested, matching seam intersections; I can smoothly flip from setting the seam to side pressing without putting the iron down; I assure that wool batting will not peek through seam lines; and, for many of my quilts, I want the added dimension of higher and lower areas that side pressed seams can emphasize.

Like so much with quilting, it's a personal choice. Even if pattern instructions have a suggested pressing plan, you are free to do entirely as you choose.

I don't think a hammer would have helped when it came time to quilt the top. The longarmer (who was also my customer) thanked me for pressing them open, as it made HER job much easier.

Thanks, everyone. You folks have given me a lot to think about.

~ Carla ~

If a block has more then four seams I press open.

I have seen quilts with the batting bearding thru flat open seams. I prefer to nest my seams but occasionally, there is the need to press them open. I have never had to resort to pounding my seams.

I am a switch presser -- it depends on the project.

Depends on the pattern and what works best. I do mostly use seams pressed to the side.

There are times when it is necessary to press open to get a block to lie flat, but rarely. Pressing to the side makes for a much sturdier block/quilt. If you consider this, with seams pressed open the only thing standing between it and life is a row of stitches. make sense?

often I do not plan my block layout until they are all finished, so if I pressed to the side, there is a problem with the seams nesting, if they are pressed open, they fit no matter where I lay the block.

Why limit yourself. Open or to the side or wiggly wampus....do what works for you and what you are making. Who cares what is "right". Do what works.

I hate open seams. But on a recent quilt I had 6 seams coming together when I joined the blocks, a fine lump in each intersection. I have heard of others using a rubber mallet to flatten the lumps. I think I'll leave them, it's consistent. But, if I ever make the pattern again, I'll open the seams.

To the side for me. I always worry about a few stitches in the seam coming loose. If it's to the side you won't see batting! And I agree, it helps with the nesting of the seams.

Depends what mood I'm in, or what kind of piecing I'm pressing, or what color socks I'm wearing, or any number of things. I don't play by the rules most of the time. On those occasions when I do play by the rules, I'm usually following someone else's pattern, and following their pressing instructions.

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I agree as it depends on how thick the material is as to whether I press to one side or I press it open. Try both and see what you like best !

Since I began quilting, there has always been a little controversy about pressing seams to one side or open. In watching several quilting teachers over the years, the answer seemed to be consistent: press the seams open or to one side, depending on the best way to make the block. I may not be explaining myself, but if you have a lot of seams coming together, pressing seams open will definitely reduce bulk and make for a better looking block.