wildyard

I find that in not pressing block assembly seams, they nest easier and I don't have to deal with the times when the seam is pressed in the wrong direction to nest so I have to try to unpress it and get it to go the other way.
I do always press HSTs and such before assembling them into a block. I also always press each block before sewing the rows together. So really, the only thing I don't press are the seams that will need to nest with another.

Jane Quilter

It depends. if there is a chance it will distort or stretch (because I might Iron, and not press or because there are too many bias involved), then I will put pieces together first and press the entire block at the end with a final square up trim.

Jeanette Frantz

Okay! I know I am bound by habits of more than 50 years of garment-making. I always pressed the seams, starting from the first clothing class I had in junior high (7th grade). Had I failed to do so, my teacher would have rapped my knuckles, virtually (not in reality)! I've done that for too many years now to break that habit. I am a "rank amateur" when it comes to making quilts, so I won't tell anyone what they should do, but I will continue to press my seams. At the same time, I promise to all of you that I will not be looking over anyone's shoulders and I won't advise anyone else. I find my blocks are square and match up -- and I'm making my quilt, not yours! lol!

klswift

You don't 'have to' iron anything. It will depend on how experienced you are, how confident you are that you can hold down the seam tightly and are you doing it for a 20 minute video that can be redone or a gift for someone that you are concerned about the precision? I admit that I skip ironing every seam when I am making a quick item (placemats, mug rugs, etc), but, I am usually happier with my finished product when I take those few extra seconds to iron it.

Watson

Funny this comes up now.
I always press everything until yesterday and the quilt I'm making for a quick gift and I've been pleasantly surprised at how well it is going together. I'm getting just as many well-matched points without pressing as I do with. Of course, I am pressing the blocks at the end of each one.
This experiment isn't going to stop me from pressing everything when it is for a regular quilt and I'm not in a rush.
Watson

quilterpurpledog

Jenny has frequently said she favors 'done' over 'perfect'. That being said, you have to choose the group you want to be in. I am quite OCD about perfect. I have frequently wondered about shortcuts I see in the videos and wonder how they finally worked out-we will ever know, will we? It amazes me how we go from the quick methods and wonder about the outcome to some instructors/teachers who go to the opposite extreme like Judy Niemeyer who prints 35 pages of instructions. We all learn differently and it behooves all of us to give new techniques a try.

ClairVoyantQuilter

I’m a sew a seam, press a seam quilt maker, so will always lean toward pressing.

But I can also tell you, I longarm quilt for the public and have seen a lot of “bless her heart” quilts that could have been beautiful if the maker had just presssed. Instead, sashings often don’t line up and the seams are twisted.

If precision is your priority, press.

Onebyone

I like the get it done videos. I want to watch the basic how to do it and then take my time when I'm making the block. If I had to listen to someone explain every detail it would be like watching paint dry. I don't press my seams when sewing with a hot iron. I use a roller to make them flat and I spin all joining seams. I took a workshop from Sally Collins and she was very good but very very slow. If you sew faster then you can count the machine stitches you are going to fast. You should be able to count each stitch as you sew it.

Geri B

Thats not necessarily OCD...in my book it's being more precise in the process. I'm not for churning out "Quilts" as quickly as I can...it's more doing it carefully and the "best" I can do. Jmho

Claire123

I always press as I go. I feel I get much better results.