cmierley

I just learned that steaming could shrink your fabric a little. Teacher recommended no steam. Blocks will come out more accurate. With steam your blocks could be off a little. Once your fabric gets wet it could shrink some. She never steams and her blocks stay accurate.

Sewnoma

I don't use steam but that's partially just because I can't ever seem to remember to stop myself from "ironing" rather than "pressing", so I have issues with distorting my blocks ANYWAY. Steam just makes it worse!

I even put a label on my iron that says "PRESS! PRESS!" and that doesn't help. Of course I put it on the handle so I can't see it when I'm holding it, maybe I need to put it along the front and sides where I can actually see it when I'm ironing....PRESSING! lol

Onebyone

When I am cutting small pieces from fabric I purposely try and do all the ironing distortion I can to the piece of fabric. Get it out of the way before cutting and not worry about distorting the cut pieces when pressing them later.

ghostrider

Well I always steam and my blocks stay accurate too. Just one more benefit of prewashing fabrics, no additional shrinkage worries from steam pressing. I never use starch or Best Press or anything other than water, via steam or spray, on fabric.

QUILTNMO

i dont use steam if i want a steam effect i have a spray bottle

coastienest

I too, use a steam iron. I don't "iron" per say, but up and down the iron. I like the crispness of it and feel like my seams look better.

CorgiNole

I use a dry iron and a spray bottle, also because I got tired of the steam burns and hiccups from my steam iron. I have managed to distort fabric from careless pressing, so I'm more careful now about how I do it. I do like the sharp crease that it can create.

Cheers, K

bearisgray

I soak my fabrics in HOT water now - and dry them. None or very little shrinkage for me.
I have had a Michael Miller fabric shrink over 2.5 inches in width. If I had cut a 12.5 inch square from that unwashed fabric- after pressing with steam, that block would be less than 12.25 inches in one direction.

So - yes - steam pressing unwashed/unshrunk fabric can cause the dimensions of the piece to change due to shrinkage.

While in the class - do it the way the instructor says - try it - you might like it.

If other ways suit you better at other times, do it the way you prefer.

I generally do not use starch or sizing, but I will use it on a very unruly piece to get the seams to stay the way I want them do.

Havplenty

Your creations, your choice. I am a steamer and have never used starch.

quiltsRfun

Wouldn't the starch create steam as soon as the hot iron hits it?