Do You PRESS or IRON your Yardage before starting to cut for piecing?
#51
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Holmen, WI
Posts: 6,459
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.
#52
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.
#54
Super Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,585
Do you PRESS or IRON your Yardage before starting to cut for piecing?
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
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
#56
So, I have been interested in clarification on this for a while. After you have prewashed and dried you fabric (I like to fully dry mine so that all shrinkage is achieved), do you press it or iron it? I generally start with a press, picking up and moving the iron a few inches at a time across the fabric surface but then I lightly move the iron across the surface as well.
I've heard many times that there should be no ironing in quilting. Is this true or is it okay to iron the large yardage pieces before they are cut?
I've heard many times that there should be no ironing in quilting. Is this true or is it okay to iron the large yardage pieces before they are cut?
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!
#57
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.
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.
#58
I haven't pre-washed my fabric ever since I started sewing back in 1968 but now you guys are scaring me to death. I don't want to have the ragged edges and thought that once the fabric was sewn into a quilt it would stay put but now I'm worried. I don't want to give or sell a quilt that would change shape. What do you all think about my predicament?
#59
True, so true! I always use the 8 minute gentle cycle and I seldom get fraying and never get tangles.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
QuiltnNan
Links and Resources
11
08-19-2014 04:54 AM
AngelinaMaria
Main
10
03-11-2012 11:57 AM