Seams: press open or to the dark side?
06-26-2011, 07:07 AM
#12
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Out searching for some sunshine :-)
Posts: 58,855
Pressing to the side is not usually necessary with the strong stitches that our machines make. I press open a lot, due to not liking seeing a seam through my blocks :D:D:D
Many quilters quote this, "look at the strain the seams in our pants get,they are pressed open and they don't pull apart" :wink:
Many quilters quote this, "look at the strain the seams in our pants get,they are pressed open and they don't pull apart" :wink:
06-26-2011, 07:28 AM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: In the mountains near Black Hawk, CO
Posts: 1,183
I'm literally on the fence with this. For matching seams, I like to press to one side and bump the edges together. For the rest, I like the flatter look of pressing open. If the block has more than 2 or 3 seams intersecting, I press open. For flannel or home dec fabric, I press open.
And guess what else I do! Sometimes I press to the side AND press open on the same quilt. I know, I know. I'm just wild and crazy like that!
And guess what else I do! Sometimes I press to the side AND press open on the same quilt. I know, I know. I'm just wild and crazy like that!
06-26-2011, 08:14 AM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,703
I personally think its a matter of preference. When I started quilting a lot of the advice on pressing was "NEVER PRESS OPEN!!" But I had trouble pressing to the side. So I pressed my seams open. Seams in our clothes get pressed open so why can't it work for a quilt? My first quilt came out fine. I had to press the seams open for my denim quilt because of the extra bulk and that thing was hard enough to quilt through without the added bulk.
06-26-2011, 08:29 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 5,397
I was told by some publised quilters the reason behind ironing them to the dark side was so that as they got older the batting wouldn't come up thru the seam as it tended to do. She also said when you are doing some blocks though; you don't have the option but to do them open if you want them to lay flat.
06-26-2011, 08:44 AM
#18
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Front row
Posts: 14,646
I press more seams open then to the side. If I can see a dark fabric underneath a light fabric then I always press to the darker side. Pressing open insures the seam is flat, straight, and keeps the size of the cut.
06-26-2011, 09:23 AM
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: western Pa
Posts: 4,569
I just finished the 111 blocks for the Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt; they are 6" finished. I had to press most of the seams open so the block would be flat--some of them have 30 or more pieces so too many intersections to press to the side.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
