Question about matching seams...
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 2,353
This may not be the "correct" way to overcome this issue... but .. I just re-press about 1/2" of the offending seam... nest .... sew and then clip the seam allowance I sewed to allow it to return to original position..I use the pinwheel method to flatten the joined seams of the 4 connecting blocks...this works for me be it wrong or right...
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Holmen, WI
Posts: 6,459
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stanley NC
Posts: 981
I have that same issue. My problem is that I hand piece and hand quilt. I was told NOT to press the seams open because hand pieced don't hold to tension bein placed on them. Any hand quilters who press the seams open? It would certainly make matching seams much easier.
#24
I make a small clip in one of the seams about 1" down and then press this to the other side. I don't like to press seams open as I do a lot of stitching in the ditch and if the seam is pressed open, you are just quilting the threads not the fabric.
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Clay Springs AZ
Posts: 3,229
I saw this trick on a show once.
If a seam will not line up right take a piece of 1/2 in scotch tape and with both fabric seams in alignment tape togather then fold in half and sew. You have a perfect 1/4 in seam and your seams are in alignment.
If a seam will not line up right take a piece of 1/2 in scotch tape and with both fabric seams in alignment tape togather then fold in half and sew. You have a perfect 1/4 in seam and your seams are in alignment.
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,585
#27
I was always told not to press seams open when making a quilt. I was told the seams are not as strong when pressed open. So, I never even tried it. For those of you who do press seams open, have you had any issues with quilts that ar used and washed a lot?
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dallas area, Texas, USA
Posts: 3,050
Right now I'm having a similar problem with a D4P, and whenever I can, I switch one of the seams back the other way so it will nest. It's annoying to have to do this, but usually a little pressing stick is all that's needed. So far I haven't found any on a D4P that couldn't be done this way. On the D9P there may be a difference. If you can work out where the problem is going to occur, maybe you can decide to just press just those seams open.
I have better luck with nesting seams because I avoid pinning whenever I can - just me. Whether to press open or not also depends on what you're planning to do with the quilt. If it's going to get a lot of use and washing, open seams are not as strong because there's nothing between the two pieces except the thread.
However, Bonnie Hunter, who makes lots of strip pieced quilts, says on Quiltville somewhere that she presses hers open. That's enough of a reason to do it that way, as far as I'm concerned. I love her work!
I have better luck with nesting seams because I avoid pinning whenever I can - just me. Whether to press open or not also depends on what you're planning to do with the quilt. If it's going to get a lot of use and washing, open seams are not as strong because there's nothing between the two pieces except the thread.
However, Bonnie Hunter, who makes lots of strip pieced quilts, says on Quiltville somewhere that she presses hers open. That's enough of a reason to do it that way, as far as I'm concerned. I love her work!
#29
I press all my seams open, and have never had a problem with wear and tear. Of course, I use a very short stitch while piecing, and I'm careful to press the seam closed (to bury the stitch), and then press them open. When doing stitch-in-the-ditch, I will also fortify with a stitch on one or the other side, or both, or some echo stitching. Just my way. A little extra quilting and pinning is worth it to me to have my points line up. To each her/his own!
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