Pressing Seams Open or to One Side
 

Hi all, I'm in the process of making a log cabin quilt and am not following any specific instructions for assembling it so I want to pose these questions.

When sewing the blocks together, would it be better to press the seams open or to the dark fabric? Same question for assembling the rows, press open or to one side?

Also, would it be prudent to sew the rows together in opposite directions? For example, sewing row 2 to row 1, sew left to right, then row 3 to row 2, right to left, etc.

I will be doing the quilting myself, so no FMQ for me. I was just planning on using stich in the ditch on the rows and columns.

Thanks,
Shari

It takes more time to press the seams open but I usually do it that way, depends on my mood at the time. Most quilts have half open seams and half one side seams in the same quilt. I never paid any attention to the direction I sew the rows together. I don't overthink much about any of it,

Depending on your batting and the size of your log cabin blocks, SITD in just the rows and columns may not be enough quilting. I wouldn’t press the rows open if you’re going to SITD as you wouldn’t have a ditch.

You may consider pressing your seams to the dark, creating a ditch so that you could SITD in each log if your batting requires closer quilting than just the rows and columns.

You could also cross-hatch it-- sew 'x's' through the center of each block. With all the intersections, I am not sure that pressing the seams open will give you much of an advantage.

I just made a little log cabin quilt. I pressed all the block seams away from the center. When I sew the blocks into a row, I press each row in opposite directions, because I like to match my seams by nesting the seam allowances together. But when the rows get sewn together, I press that seam open.

Stitch in the ditch is harder to do than most other types of quilting. If the logs are small, you could stitch down the middle of each log, working in a square spiral as you go out. If the logs are bigger, you could stitch about 1/8" to 1/4" away from each seam. Or maybe echo the outline of the dark sides separately from the light sides.

Well, I either googled or YT this topic once because I had always pressed open. I discovered that the seams are stronger when pressing to the side as the fabric is pulled upon during use. Whereas, when you press open, the thread is being pulled, which is not as strong as fabric. That made sense to me.
So, I developed a system for pressing to left or right by using even and odd pieces, rows, etc.
Odd rows get pressed right, even-to the left. Then they nest, which is a new process for me.

the only time I press open is when I don't want either fabric to be dominant.
Or if Bonnie Hunter tells me to press them open during a mystery :)

I started pressing seams open after watching and reading some tutorials by people like Leah Day. I can't remember the others. I think it makes for a flatter top. I don't like to stitch in the ditch so can't speak to that. But none of my quilts have shown any distress at the pressed open seams years later. But then again I don't make heirloom quilts. So I would press them open.

There is no Ditch if you press your seams open.

I like to press my seams to the side. Pressing them so that they nest when putting two or more sections together. I feel that if you press the seams open, your quilt looses strength, as all that is between the sections is thread, which over time weakens and the sections can split apart as the thread weakens, becomes loose or breaks, either through age, repeated washings/dryings, and/or repeated tugging/pulling of the fabric with use.