Seams-do you iron them open or to the darkest side?
05-03-2011, 09:09 PM
#81
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Location: Daytona Beach Shores, FL
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I almost always press to the dark but on occasion I may need to change a press so there is less bulk and certain squares fit together better. I never press open. I do a lot of in the ditch quilting and if the seam was open you could damage the thread holding the seam together and with the press to the side you are catching the fabric an quilting through it, making it a stronger seam and not have the batting creeping through the seam.
05-03-2011, 11:48 PM
#82
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Location: Hastings, Victoria, Australia
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Originally Posted by Lindsey
you can't always press to the dark side. sometimes its necessary to press the seams open sometimes its necessary to press to the light. It many seams intersect you should press them open to reduce bulk. If you are putting two blocks together such as hst, you may have to press one to the light and one to the dark so they intersect.
thankyou
05-03-2011, 11:49 PM
#83
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Originally Posted by JCL in FL
I almost always press to the dark but on occasion I may need to change a press so there is less bulk and certain squares fit together better. I never press open. I do a lot of in the ditch quilting and if the seam was open you could damage the thread holding the seam together and with the press to the side you are catching the fabric an quilting through it, making it a stronger seam and not have the batting creeping through the seam.
thankyou
05-03-2011, 11:50 PM
#84
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Originally Posted by mackandblues
I've done blocks both ways and I like the look of "open" better. I think it is flatter and the block looks "crisper".
jane
05-05-2011, 12:17 PM
#88
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Location: Magnolia, Texas
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I press to one side .. and not necessarily the dark side. I press to the side that will cause the least bulk at the intersection. Pressing open is fine but it makes it a little bit harder to line up intersections because the fabrics don't "nestle" together and it takes more time -- which I am usually short on.
05-30-2011, 10:11 PM
#89
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: North Kansas City, MO
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Like most of us old timers, I was trained to press to the dark, but in recent years I've ready much about pressing seams open and I keep meaning to try it. However, old habits die hard, and every time I thnk about doing it, I'm halfway through the quilt and I vow to try it next time. LOL
The most glaring reason to press open is to flatten the bulk of the quilt, especially in areas where you're joining fabrics (star points, etc.)
The most glaring reason to press open is to flatten the bulk of the quilt, especially in areas where you're joining fabrics (star points, etc.)
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