burchquilts

That's how I do mine. Why iron it when it'll just get creases in storage (some of my fabric has been stored a long time!). Plus, I feel like ironing it kind of freshens the fabric up some.

ghostrider

Technically, ironing is anytime you move the iron around the surface without lifting it up. When I iron, even on a shirt, it's always with the grain and never "all around". It's just like sanding a piece of wood to smooth it out...the goal is to straighten the fibers so they lie parallel to each other. Go with the grain (and a light hand) and you won't distort the surface, sewn or unsewn, cut or uncut. With fabric, pressure is not necessary, the heat does the work.

I press seams because they are small and easily flip around if ironed; same with the back side of partial and finished blocks and quilt tops. I iron the front side of blocks during and after piecing, just as i do with the front side of quilt tops, because it makes for a smoother, flatter, more square finish. In both cases, I use steam. My work does not stretch (even though I use no starch), and blocks always lie flat and go together easily...circles, irregular curves, bias edges, points, and diamonds included.

I do not accept any 'must do', should do', or 'don't do' statements when it comes to quilting (or a whole bunch of other activities for that matter). It's all about finding your own path and following it. I truly believe that working with the fabric and understanding it's natural tendencies pays off with an enjoyable process and a quality product...at least it has for me for decades.

Val in IN

I starch and iron ALL fabric before cutting. Makes a BIG difference in ease of cutting and accuracy.

Jeanette Frantz

Being a rank amateur myself, I have been doing a lot of stuff on white background with some very bright solid colors. Fortunately, my cousin, who has a quilt shop in Oklahoma, forewarned me about the bleeding of fabrics, especially bright colors. Otherwise, I would have had a ruined quilt that I worked very hard on for several months!

I just started a new project -- a baby quilt -- again using a white/white on white background. And, yes, I washed all the fabric and used a dye fixative to set the dye in the bright colors. I absolutely breaks my heart to think I might put all that effort into a quilt and it be ruined by bleeding dyes in fabric! IMHO, it's worth the effort although it does take a lot of time.

Jeanette Frantz

maryel

I iron my fabric always, couldn't imagine any other way.

GrannieAnnie

No ironing in quilting????????? You've got to be kidding. How can a person cut accurately if the fabric isn't smooth?

And I'd never be able to put pieced together without ironing.

AND I HATE IRONING!

GrannieAnnie

LOL, I never thought about ironing and pressing having different meanings.

I hate both, and only do it when sewing. "Ironing" is the word I use most, and it involves heating up the wedge shaped electrical gadget and using it on fabric or paper.

GrannieAnnie

Put your fabric on the shortest but hottest cycle you have. The real purpose is causing any shrinkage that might happen and causing bleed if it's going to happen. A short cycle will lessen the fraying on the edges.

ghostrider

True, so true! I always use the 8 minute gentle cycle and I seldom get fraying and never get tangles.

nstitches4u

Iron new fabric before cutting pieces for blocks. Press blocks after piecing.