I agree with momymom about reducing the bulk when all seams converge in the center of a dresden type circle and the pressed to the dark side to prevent slowing through. The prefernce is your's becasue there are no quilt police to arrest you. LOL

Andie

I think the idea to press the seams to one side is held over from days with quilters hand pieced, and that made the seam stronger. But with the wonderful machines we have today, and the stitches are secure, to press open evens out the bulk.

I think this is one of those wash/don't wash type of discussions. Do it the way you want. I do have doubts about pressing open when you quilt QID, you will catch no fabric. I also like the idea of making the seam as strong as possible. I do press open the stem of a Y seam. In ready made the seams that have a lot of stress are usually reinforced some way.

I was told that if you pressed yoour seam to the side instead of open, it could withstand more stress. Also, on your backing it is better if you have to sew 2 pieces together to make it wide enough, you should put a solid piece in the middle and split the other one and sew to each side because most of the stress happens in the middle. I don't know if this is actually true, but that is why I do it. :thumbup:

If you press all the seams open, then stitch on the machine, a certain number (lots) will flip over to one side anyway. Also, if you are able to 'nest' your seams, you get crisp points. However, if you want to press them open, go ahead. It's your quilt, and there is always more than one way to do everything. Make it easy on yourself.

It's just ever so much easier to press to one side. And always press seam so that they nest when rows are sewn together. Try pressing 1/4 inch seams open and you'll burn your fingers. And they won't come out straight.

Hugs,
Cynthia

If you are matching the seams with another piece, you iron one row in one direction and the next row in another direction and then they butt up against each other without the need for pinning. You have less bulk , because one side of the join flops over to the right and the other flops to the left. Of course, sometimes,you do press the seams open - especially if you want less bulk. This method is especially useful when making stars where up to 16 pieces can come together in the centre (as in the Giant Dahlia Quilt). You press them open so that the centre will sit flatly.

Also because our ancestors pieced by hand and it did make the seam stronger because there was less stress on the stitiching.

I just read today that the seams are pressed to the darker material, unless they just want to be pressed the other direction. The reason is so that the batting does not come through the stitches to the front of the quilt during construction and use. Sounds sensible to me. Was reading an old quilting basics book while I was siting for 4 hours with an alzhimers patient. Do this every Thursday so his wife gets a break. The book was the first one I ever bought, "Quilters Complete Guide", by Fons and Porter. Very good information.

I just read today that the seams are pressed to the darker material, unless they just want to be pressed the other direction. The reason is so that the batting does not come through the stitches to the front of the quilt during construction and use. Sounds sensible to me. Was reading an old quilting basics book while I was siting for 4 hours with an alzhimers patient. Do this every Thursday so his wife gets a break. The book was the first one I ever bought, "Quilters Complete Guide", by Fons and Porter. Very good information.

I let mine go where they want to. That way I don't have to fight with them!

On another thread recently, someone had taken a class with ?? England who says 'Press your fabric before you cut, but don't press again until you FINISH the block.'

I tried it yesterday, and I was amazed at how much easier it was to match seams - even points. I'm a convert.

See - and I think it's easier to match seams if pressed open :)

Each person has their own preference. And they all work just fine. Many times however you do it will serve mutliple purposes. The truth is that I do it the way it appears to work the best, for both construction and the quilting plan I have in store for the quilt.

Debbie in Austin

Batting doesn't come through the top anyway :) Perhaps it did years ago, prior to todays methods of bonding it, but I've never seen it.

Just my thoughts.
Debbie in Austin

Batting doesn't come through the top anyway :) Perhaps it did years ago, prior to todays methods of bonding it, but I've never seen it.

Just my thoughts.
Debbie in Austin