dakotamaid

I must have missed the 3 step pressing post. Where can I find it?

katybob

I must have missed the 3-step pressing process, too. What is it?

And, Cindy, someone on this board recommended Presencia 60-weight cotton thread for machine piecing and I love it! It's a little thinner than the thread I'd been using (50 weight?) and makes a huge difference when putting together these tiny blocks. I found it on line at Red Rocks (I think that's the name of the company), but I'm sure it can be found elsewhere.

Chay

I don't know about the 3-step pressing process but I can make recommendations about what's worked for me. I've made 100+ DJ blocks and my biggest frustration when I started was to get the blocks to lay flat after they were done. For what it's worth, here's what I do:

Use a dry iron. That's new for me, I've always been a steamer. I got a Continental Dry iron from Home Depot online. It's hot and heavy.

Press every seam as you go. Let the seam tell you which direction it wants to go, some seams just naturally fall one way or the other. Don't stick with the "press to the dark" rule - sometimes you need to press a seam open, sometimes to the dark, sometimes to the light.

If possible, make your block bigger than 5" by making the "outside" edge pieces bigger. When your block is done, place it on a towel that's been folded; I used an old hand towel folded in half. Smooth it out. LIGHTLY spray with Best Press or starch.

Get that hot iron out and have it ready to go. Press down HARD on the block. Don't move the iron back and forth; if you have to move the iron just lift it up and press down in another place. Bear down HARD. My ironing board is at lap level and I actually stand up and press down from a standing position.

You will end up with a perfectly flat block. Now use your 5" ruler to trim the block to size.

When your towel gets flattened out too much either switch towels or wash it to get some poof back into the fibers. It's the towel and hot iron that do the trick.

I hope some of my tips work for you.

dakotamaid

Thanks Chay, I will print these tips out and put them in my DJ notebook! I'm hoping to journal, as well in this notebook, for my daughter who is going to receive the quilt.

Cre8tvlwyr

HEHE!! Bookworm - see my block ...A5 [very bottom left] was one of the ones I sent you If you have several with that color combination you could follow that quilt idea found at greenfairy blogsite and place them in such a way to form a diamond shape color pattern. Like the one Lesley [Lacelady] finished. here's the blogsite...
http://greenfairyquilts.blogspot.com...revisited.html

Feathers... your on the list now [I have birds...owls falcons...macaw... etc ]

bookworm

You'll be in my Dear Jane then Cre8tvlwyr

SuzyQ

I need added to the list :-)

SuzyQ

CindyA

So sorry I don't remember where I saw the 3 step process. I've been reading all the posts here on this thread plus have started reading the thread from the DJ that started in 2009 or 2010. [If you're the one that shared the 3 step process please let me know and correct me if I get this wrong.]

This lady said she pressed the seam in the same position as it came off the machine (to set it). Then pressed the seam to one side, and finally pressed it in the direction that she wanted it to lay permanently.

jacquie

chay, great tips!!
i too have made a note of this method! any prior help is greatly appreciated!!
thank you!!

thimblegeek

I also want to be on the list! Thanks for all the help.