Press left, press right

I've grown up to press seams open, too, Polly. I love the flatter look on the top. I do press dry first, though, just in case of a sneaky pleat! Then when I've checked the other side, I'll use the steam. I've even thought that I will practise Judy Mathieson's foundation paper piecing method, where you can choose your seam pressing 'direction', so that I can press them open. I have done it once or twice, but it is slower for me until I get more used to it. That has been the only fault I have found with that technique. I shall be breaking rules and cutting corners a lot over the next three weeks! (not necessarily in quilting though). . In message , Polly Esther writes

I do that Polly, my left over habits from when I used to make all my families clothes. I also pin before, in the middle and at the end, another habit - even to the extent that if I am uncomfortable with the seam, I will even baste it. I also sew over the very point of the pins, and never had one break the needle yet....

"Open pressing just works so much better for me. Conclusion? Let's all go out and break some rules. After all . .. there's a full moon. Polly"

I'll second that.

Another 'open presser' here as well. Again from the clothing experience side of things. And I agree, I like the flatter look of the completed top that way. Rarely have I had an issue with the ends of the seams - mostly they are 'caught' by the next seam. Your quilt sounds adorable. I have no idea how you can be so incredibly productive and get so many quilts done so quickly! I'm mightily impressed!

Kim in NJ

I've thumbed my nose at the 'quilt police' as well. Like a lot of you ladies, I come from a garment making background. When I started quilting, I listened to the accumulated 'wisdom', tried to press all to the dark side, tried to do it 'right' and decided that it was fine if you only made square patch quilts. Now I mix and match side pressed and open pressed seams depending on the block unit. The more complicated the block the more I tend to press the seams open to reduce the bulk, but if it is not necessary I press towards the side that has fewer perpendicular seams. The only rule I follow is that the pressing must be consistent among all the blocks for that particular quilt and if I am still trying to decide which block should go where, then the pressing must be consistent even if the block is rotated a quarter turn.

Diana - PA

Welcome to my world! I almost always press my seams open and, yes, I sew over pins. When I pin my pieces together, though, I pin from left to right, rather than the traditional way, and the tip of the pin ends up close to the 1/4" seam line. For me, it seems to cause less distortion as I sew the pieces together, and I'm sewing over just the tip of the pin - less likely to get a broken needle.

To get a really flat seam, after pressing them open and checking to make sure there are no pleats, I dip a small paintbrush (like you'd use for watercolor) into water and run it along the seam line on the right side. I then plop my iron down on it, and it comes out really nice. I don't care to use steam in my iron, so this is my alternative.

The exception to open seams is for the borders. I still press toward them in one direction there, just because it's easier.

Breaking rules And cutting corners? That has a delightful ring to it. I'll join you. Polly

"Pat S" I've grown up to press seams open, too, Polly. I love the flatter look

Well now ain't that nice!!!

I have secretly been pressing open most of my seams since I started this latst addiction (piecing and quilting) a few years ago. However, since the consensus always seemed to be to press seams to one side, I quietly went my own way and never told anyone anything! Works fine for me. This is what I'm used to doing with seams. Read an article yesterday in this month's Qulter Magazine (arrived in my mailbox yesterday) on stitching in the ditch. As that is the quilting I use mostly, I was interested to see that the author says that seams have to be pressed to one side otherwise you're only stitching on threads rather than fabric. Maybe so, but all the stuff I've done to date is none the worse for wear!

So glad to finally be able to come out into the open and admit that I like to press my seams open and not have to feel guilty about it any longer!!!

Oh and yes, I also lick my floass when I cross stitch (bite me if you dare!)

And I pich off raw pieces of cookie dough or cake batter when baking (and I use real eggs, not the artificial stuff) so sue me!

Here's to you, quilt police; go find someone else to make miserable!

Claudia

ok..ok...i'll admit it now...

"Hi, my name is Amy and I press the seams open."

Wow..only 11 steps to go...

amy in CNY

LOL. Loved it! Polly

"amy in CNY" <

There are, of course, times when seams pressed to the side look better. For example, Pat on the Green taught me that when you have a piece that you want to stand out and look framed, pressing the seams toward the picture will lift it. I've enjoyed that trick. Polly

"Ruby" I have been following "the rules" for pressing seams and am never happy

I've been pressing seams open also. I also try to remember to shorten my stitch length so there will be less chance of any batting peeking out. I find the open seams give my blocks a lot more accuracy. I also sew over pins...but I go slower and try to judge if it going to be a direct hit....then I'll pull the pin before sewing over it. KJ

Howdy!

When the seams don't meet up the right way for pressing, I make a little snip in one seam & press it the way I want it to go. I usually press to the side, because I LIKE it that way, esp. for handquilting. However, there's no one standing over me w/ stick, so I generally do as I please. Quilting has rules? Who said? ;-P

R/Sandy

I was thinking I would press some of the seams open on this quilt top I'm piecing right now (St. Louis block), but when I got the blocks on the ironing board, they just seemed to want to go a certain way, so that's the way they're going. I press "toward the blue" on each seam.

My first quilting primer was Fons & Porter, and that's what they said, was "don't fight it." Some seams want to go a certain way.

It helps to have the seam allowance pressed one way if you're ditch quilting; the trick is to ditch quilt on the side of the seam that is just one layer of fabric, so it kind of snuggles in under the thick side of the seam and disappears. Not that I achieve this with any degree of consistency -- yet :-) -- but I get the concept.

ep

There is only one graven in stone rule you know.

If It Works It Is The Right And True Way To Do It.

Anything else that says it is a rule is merely a suggestion of how someone else gets best results sometimes.

Sometimes using a given method will cause you to break a rule. For example if you foundation piece you almost never always press to the dark side. It is physically impossible to do. I have foundation pieced counterpoint quilts an I am not in quilt jail!

What do they make you do in quilt jail anyway? Geometry? Shred polycotton for pillow stuffing? Starch and iron white fabric for hours, and then swap you to black?

NightMist

Aaaaaaaaaaargh! The horror! The horror!

ep

This is a geat thread! I was pressing seams open when I first started because that's what I thought you did...it worked...then I actually bought some quilting books and found out it was "wrong." If it works, it can't be all wrong, can it? Thanks for the chuckles, Polly, and for starting this thread. Donna