Pressing seam allowances to one side not necessary.
01-05-2012, 04:01 PM
#21
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nebraska..The Good Life
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I believe I'll continue to press to the side. My personal opinion is that the seams are more protected that way. This is totally a personal choice issue so there is no right or wrong to it IMHO.
01-05-2012, 08:15 PM
#22
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Texas Gulf Coast
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I had always pressed to the dark or pressed towards the outside or pressed towards the side with fewer seams - whatever fit that particular seam. However, when I started doing a Farmer's WIfe Sampler with so many seams pressing open just worked better. So now - if there are lots of seams - like doing a pinwheel - then I press open. Few seams? Press to the side.
I am an equal opportunity presser.
I am an equal opportunity presser.
01-05-2012, 09:42 PM
#23
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
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01-05-2012, 10:05 PM
#24
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Washington State
Posts: 1,629
I've done both ways - to the side or open. Which one depends on the patern and the bulk where points meet. With the bargello quilt, it was definitely easier to line up the strips with the seams pressed to one side. It ''locks' them together & I don't have to pin which speeds it up. I tend to press open with stars though.
01-06-2012, 06:57 AM
#26
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 5,052
I do both, if my pattern has places where several seams come together, I press open, less bulk. TIP: Try using one of those little wooden irons when opening seams to press; much easier to go over with your iron afterwards.
01-06-2012, 08:22 AM
#27
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chapel Hill
Posts: 1,086
Interesting. Though I think this is one of those techniques that everyone needs to figure out what works best for them and for the project they are working on. Either way there is a lot of work to do with the iron.
Personally, I prefer pressing them to the side as I find that I'm better able to match corners when I have the opposing seam allowances to fit together.
Cheers, K
Personally, I prefer pressing them to the side as I find that I'm better able to match corners when I have the opposing seam allowances to fit together.
Cheers, K
01-06-2012, 08:50 AM
#28
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Manchester, NH
Posts: 701
HA! The quilt I just finished piecing (Fracture) has 1/8" seams AND it called for pressing them open. THAT was NOT fun and not something I ever plan on doing again. To top it off, the fabric I was using wanted to fray a lot, and every time I handled it I would leave a trail of threads from the seam edges behind. I already know that because of the small seams and the fraying (and it is an LQS fabric I was using - Northcott I believe but not certain), I am going to have to some very heavy quilting on it to make sure it holds together. I don't trust it.
I can say this much ... I think when I press seams to one side the chance that I'll iron in "bowing" is much greater than when I press seams open. That's the only good thing that came out of that 1/8" open seam experience.
I can say this much ... I think when I press seams to one side the chance that I'll iron in "bowing" is much greater than when I press seams open. That's the only good thing that came out of that 1/8" open seam experience.
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