janedb

Hi everyone,
This question is on the minds of my friends as well as me the newbie at this, I am currently going to classes and told to press to one side. but one of my friends said it makes the seams flatter and less bulkly to press them open.
Is there a time to do you can choose. or will something awful happen if you choose the wrong way. !!!

help... jane

Airwick156

I think mostly you would just iron it to the dark side. I do know people do open the seams and iron them flat, but I think its just a matter of preference. I iron mine to the dark side.

lindyline

I press my seams open, because that's what I was taught to do in my classes. The explanation we were given, was that when you quilt over these seams, it's less bulky.However, when I stated that I only ever stitch in ditch, I was advised that I should press to one side then. I've learnt to free motionm so now I press them open.I thinks it's a matter of choice, yours.

Quiltforme

I have heard both ways open for bulky seams to one side to keep the batting from coming through the seems I guess personal choice I iron to the dark side

amandasgramma

To the dark side. It keeps the batting from showing thru. Also -- if someone does a stitch in the ditch, then you need it to one side. I do longarm quilting, having the seams to one side does not bother me at all -- the "bulk" isn't a problem unless you've got 6 points at one corner. And even then, I use a hammer and pound the fabric down. Very seldom does it cause my machine to jerk out of line.

bearisgray

I usually press mine to one side, usually to the darker side.

BUT - I also try to go for the least amount of bulk at the intersections, so sometimes I have to press towards the lighter side. The trick there is for the lighter side to have a seam allowance that is a couple of threads wider than the darker side seam allowance - so when it is pressed the lighter fabric seam allowance doesn't let the darker seam allowance show through.

watterstide

nothing awful will happen either way! for me it depends on what kind of block i am doing.Pressing seams to the dark is something from hand quilting,to make the seam stronger.

"Pressing seams open creates less bulk on the back side of the quilt top. It also helps you sew a true 1/4-inch seam, because less fabric becomes tied-up in the pressover.

Like many other quilting tasks, there are no absolute "right" or "wrong" ways to sew a seam. What's important are the techniques that work for you. Try pressing seams open to see if you like the results."

Opinion by Mabry Benson:
http://www.straw.com/equilters/libra...SeamsOpen.html

Please do what works for you!

Lizzytish

I press to the side and nest them together when piecing this is the way I was taught I have tried pressing open seams but the seams are so small that I ended up touching the hot iron to much. OUCH!

It depends on what you feel comfortable with.

janedb

Thankyou very much for your answer, it has helped me sort out for which situation, which way will be best.

thankyou

janedb

Yes your answer was very interesting as I am teaching my self to fmq, on my home machine. Doing well too I am add :)

thankyou jane