Twisted Seam Allowances, Fix, or Leave?
 

Unless you're a quilter that does all open seams, you've probably come across more than one twisted seam allowance, where at one end of the seam the allowance faces one direction and the other end of the seam it faces the other direction. Usually, I take a few stitches out of one seam and flop that allowance over to the correct side, then restitch the seam. But sometimes it's just too complicated to do that. I may worry about a point that might get damaged, or the seams are just so short and tedious to fix, or maybe it just won't matter much after it's quilted, etc. What do you do?

I leave mine...my quilts are not for show. I make quilts for people to use, and after bound, no one can see it!

Many quilt classes I have taken with quilt famous instructors have said flip the turned seam a few inches away from the turn and press. No one is the wiser and you won't weaken the seam by snipping as many like to clip. I would never spend time unsewing and re sewing a flipped seam unless it made a big difference. So far I've never found the big difference.

I'll fix twisted seams that weren't intended, yet I often have to purposely twist a seam in order to get things to nest. It's kind of silly when I think about it..

I clip them as Onebyone suggested. It does not require ripping and like Jenny Doan says, no one is going to look inside your quilt. ☺️

I leave mine unless it shows thru the front. But, actually when you put batting behind it you don’t usually see any of the seams. Also they sink into the batting so bulk is not an issue in most cases. I have seen the backs of quilt tops that teachers show at classes and they also have twisted seams. It happens to all of us

I usually leave them. And yes, I almost always have some!~

I don't worry about it unless it creates too much bulk or shows. I quilt on a longarm, and you cannot tell the seams that were flipped and those that weren't. Now, if I was making a show quilt, I might change my mind. Never would I clip into a seam to adjust it.
Edited to add: I should have NEVER said never. There is always that possibility .

I like seams to nest as much as possible. Then I twirl the corners so the intersection lays flatter.

I will also twist seams if needed and iron them in place.

I clip the seam - but each seam allowance in a different place - I put Fray Check or Fray Block on the clipped areas.

See this post that illustrates that:

https://www.quiltingboard.com/attachments/tutorials-f10/577670d1501424430-clippin.jpg

I

I clip, it's just easier to me and my fiance was blown away at just how flat my quilt top ended up being. He even had me dig it out and show a few friends (before I put backing and batting on it) and bragged on just how flat it was while they looked at it.

Twisted seams are a big OCD/pet peeve problem for me, they will literally dig a hole in my brain until I clip them and I am a major grump until I do.

I press open but sometimes things still get tangled, and I’m a bit OCD so I spend the time to get the seams going where they should. As such when the time comes to do the final press of a top, I pull up my chair to the ironing board, grab my seam ripper and start the process. For me this helps make sure that not only are my seams going where I want, but also helps me see if I missed anything, if anything is coming up short etc. , allowing me to correct any issues before it get on the longarm or into the hands of the recipient.

If I notice it immediately I will correct it but if I don't see it until I am ready to add backing, etc. I usually leave it unless it seems to be terribly bulky then I might correct it ( of course depending on how much work is involved to correct).

I will leave them as they are unless they are very noticeable, which most of the time they are not. If I have to take one out I go well beyond where the seam flipped so I have room to prefect the seam.

All my quilts have some twisted seams, even my show quilts. Unless the fabric is thin, or very a very light color next to a very dark color that will show, I leave them, but I press them down good and flat. I do my own quilting, and have never had an issue with twisted seams causing me problems during quilting or showing in the top after it is quilted.

Rob

I have tried very hard not to have flipped seams. Everyone of my quilts has at least a few flipped seam allowances.

Some I fix, most I don't. When it is finished no one can tell.

Don't tell anyone, but I press my seams open. That's how I was taught. Twisted is a given at any one time. Hot iron solves many problems.

I clip - but then I started out sewing garments, and there are many times you'll clip a seam to help ease a curve or things like that. I also normally sew with a narrower stitch length too.

I figure if a clipped seam on a garment holds up just fine, then it's not going to be a problem in a quilt. Now if you clip through the stitching, that needs to be fixed.

I am rather AR about this .. I will take out a few stitches and resew. It can really mess up stitch-in-the-ditch quilting to have inconsistent directions in the way the seams are pressed. If I know I'm just going to do an all-over quilting pattern, I might not be so particular, but I usually do custom quilting.

I am working hard at not being a perfectionist and accepting the limitations and qualities fabric has. Still, I want things to look good, but if a twisted seam doesn't make a difference from the front, I leave it. I'm trying hard after being a perfectionist for many years, to remember quilting is supposed to be a fun choice.

If I find it right after it happens, I will try to fix it. I always "want" to fix them all, but usually leave them. I do iron them a few inches before the twist.

aashley333, I also press my seams open. You are so correct, a hot iron solves a lot of problems.

A twisted seam is as annoying to me as a twisted pantyhose leg.

It probably won't kill me to leave it "as is" - but I feel a lot better after I have fixed it.

Just clip it and iron it flat to the correct side.
Problem solved.

Watson