I press with dry heat. Used to press with steam, but blocks are much less wonky now that I don't use steam. Haven't tried starch yet. I steam the heck out of wrinkled clothes and fabric. I might steam a finished block that was already wonky in order to try to make it work and avoid ripping and redoing.

CoriAmD...I also use steam and you are so right: PRESS..
Press is the #1 rule for me...and I use steam 100% of the time.

I agree it is the ironing motion that stretches, I find that I have most of my sucess with finger pressing and not iron pressing til the very end with steam, but the quilt police won't be around most of the time , good luck. :thumbup: :roll: :lol:

i always use steam, it seems to set the seam much better, if you do not want to stretch the fabric, do not run your iron over the fabric, just put it down for a few seconds and lift back up........gina

I have been using the tips that have been posted here. I use starch all the time now and a dry iron, I also just press, not iron. Thanks to this board my blocks actually come out the right size.

I think something else that factors into it is the more you piece and quilt the more your eye can see those distortions. When I first started quilting I didn't even recognize some of the imperfections that I now try to avoid. Not that it makes your quilt any less beautiful as some people find those little imperfections endearing. As long as you are not distorting your blocks to the point they look strange or they interfere with your measurements...and as you increase in skill you are bound to run into those types of issues.

I have taugth quilting for 30+ years--yikes! Anyway, the word is press GENTYLY. Steam or not. Don't run the iron over the fabric patches like you're ironing a shirt. That will stretch fabric. Use a gentle hand to maintain the shape of the pieced unit. This applies to either dry or steam. Dry pressing with a heavy hand will do as much damage.

Sandy

I use steam but to press...don't move the iron back and forth in an ironing motion