Stevensgirl

I do both - what ever gives me a flatter result. I have done many blocks where I combine both types of pressing and it works for me.

Wanabee Quiltin

I was taught to press to the darkest side. However I am changing my mind due to the fact it's so difficult to nest seams. One of my favorite blogs is Christa and she always irons them open. She says she sews smack dab in the middle to anchor her seams. I burned myself a few times and now have learned to use my little plastic iron to smooth them down before ironing open. It's a little longer, but I like the results better. It's a new concept and many of the big time quilters are now ironing open seams.

marjben

Thank you for all the responses!

I did proceed with open seams on this king-sized one. I had read something that said exactly what Sewbizgirl said about putting the stress of holding the whole quilt together on the seams and panicked, not thinking about the quilting holding it together since I'm doing a straight line grid patttern for the quilting.

"I never make a quilt from a pattern so I do not have instructions on which side to press a seam. It is beyond frustrating, and life is too short, to spend time trying to guess which direction to press a seam so all of the intersections go together without a twist in the seam."
There were no instructions, I saw one I absolutely loved and I just figured it out since it was very basic and simple. My baby quilt did have a couple of twisted seams since I didn't use a pattern and had no pressing plan. (Eek!).

I will keep in mind to let each project dictate which way to go with the seams, but I anticipate a lot more open seams than dark side seams as I can match my intersections much better that way. Nesting seems very much like spooning and I'm not very good at that either. .


Marilyn

klswift

Depends on the quilting you are planning on doing. If you are going to STID and you press your seams open - then it isn't stitching on anything! If you press nicely, pressing to one side should not make that big a difference in how flat it ends up. Besides - quilts are fluffy! Welcome to the quilting world and congrats on your first quilt. Taking on a 120 x120 for your second project is quite a challenge. Just remember, no one is perfect and this is a wonderful gift. A small imperfection to you will probably never even be noticed by your son and his bride. Quilters can be terribly hard on themselves - have fun and don't stress out!!!!

P-BurgKay

I have started pressing all my seams open. I shorten my stitch length, to about 1.5 to 1.8, less than 2 anyhow. I quilt in the ditch and travel stitch over it several times on some quilts, and never worry about them coming apart. I think it is more if a personal preference any. I am much more accurate, and have cleaner points now. Matching my seams is so much easier, and my quilts are easier to quilt, not the bulk or seams pressed to one direction or the other. Do what seams right to you

Jeanette Frantz

I have been making my own clothes, and things for others, for more than 50 years. I was taught to press open my seams on clothing and that is what I became accustomed to. So, when I began to make quilts, I just did what I had always done. If you are SITD, you are stitching through your seam, through your batting, and through the backing of your quilt -- I understood someone posted you would not be stitching through anything if you pressed the seams open -- I think I misinterpreted that post. I think, as a quilter, you have to do what works for you! I've never had any problems with "strength" in my quilts. JMHO!

Kitsie

I do a lot of 6" blocks. I like pressing seams open, especially for HSTs and most other seams. Never found a problem even with king & queen size quilts. I just use a piece of 1/4" display board to pin through the seams to align them (glue if needed, it can be easily parted to press open.)