Jane Quilter

I sew with a scant 1/4" seam. Usually I press to the dark but, for some patterns, especially when i want the whole area very flat, I prefer to press the seams open. So as i am sewing the area together, I press the seams open with the tiny clover stick iron as I go. The point of the triangle iron opens the seam easily & I don't have to use my fingers. When the area is completely assembled, I steam and starch to get complete flatness. I never burn my fingers ironing, but I have been know to grab the stick of the iron and burn my whole hand.

Annaquilts

I use a 1/4 inch seam and press to the dark side. The only time I press seams open is if I do tiny blocks, try to reduce bulk. I do not like seams that are pressed open because when you quilt it is a weaker area.

junegerbracht

Sounds like she wasn't open to the ideas of others - maybe a bit of a bully?

romanojg

I still use 1/4 in, I press to the side. The pressing to the side started way back when as a way to keep the batting from coming thru the seams after it being used/washed. I don't know if that still applies today's batting but I still do it. Plus, I normally will have seams that but up to each other and it makes it so much easier to have them all match when the seam is pressed in opposite directions. When I press, not iron, I first press the iron down on the seam as it comes off the sewing machine, this locks in the stitches, then I push them to one side and press them down in the direction that I want them to go. I normally use steam and lots of times I use starch.

crafty pat

I press open with a orange stick just ahead of the iron. It works well for me.

cashs_mom

Wow, how rude!

sewingsuz

I use 1/4 seam and iron to side . On Flannel I use 1/2 inch seams.