I have done it both ways also, I say do what works for you!

I too like to press my seams open and yes, I will press to the side for nesting, but if I want it flat and lots of seams coming together, I will definitely press open. Do what you like.

I love reading quilting books and recently I have read in several new ones that the authors press the seams open. I tried it and honestly, pressing those little scant 1/4 seams open burnt my fingers. I did not like it. I think it works good, just too hard to do. There are no quilt police on this board. If you want to enter your quilts in a contest, then there might be, I don't know.

I press my seams to the side. Dark or which ever side will help the seams "lock" I do not understand why one would press the seams open. It is easier to press to the side. I find it very hard to press a 1/4" seam open with out burning my fingers.

I've done it both ways also, just as I do with clothing. I find 1/4" seams harder to press open than 5/8" seams, but sometimes it's the best way. Most of the clothes I make for my grandkids get serged seams, so of course they don't get pressed open either.

I just made a baby quilt pressing the seams open. I like the way it looks, but it is really time consuming. I will probably
do both in the future.

I agree with sewmary...do what worked the first time. I remember always doing my binding the way a lady in my group showed me and I was never really happy with it and one day someone saved me...she asked me why I did it that way? I told her that's the way so & so showed me. Well she showed me "her" way and that's how I do it to this day!! So do what works for you. There's always 20 different ways to do something in quilting!!

In so far as seam pressing, I agree with everyone; do whichever works best in the project at hand. What no one has mentioned and has me interested is your statement about not sewing from edge to edge but only sewing seam allowance to seam allowance. I have not heard about that, except in cases where one is making Y seams or mitering corners. In all other cases, I have always sewn edge to edge. Since I am a family-self-board taught quilter, is this something I have missed learning about as I went along? Can anyone enlighten me about this type of piecing in cases other than I have mentioned?

I press to one side. I have no patience for open pressing. I have not found it made a major issue with my hand quilting. When I match I try to have the seams go to opposite sides. I find this helps me match seams

whatever works for you is fine... and if you like how it looks ... no quilt police will come tell you to rip it out.. so do what you feel comfortable with...