Patchwork pressing seams quilting

Remember that while you are pressing the seams open, you dont want to make the rest of your seams all folded and wonky. If you cut and sew accurately but dont take time to press correctly, your patchwork can end up just as offkilter as it would if you had gone awry in the cutting or stitching. While youll use a bunch of different methods throughout the quilting process, this one helps control bulk when a lot of them intersect. When it comes to pressing quilt tops, awardwinning quilter linda pumphrey has strong opinions. Quilt tops are flatter when seams are pressed open. The reason is it makes it easier to quilt, whether i am doing the quilting or sending it to my favorite long arm quilter. Pressing the seam will help you sew on the next triangle more accurately, so dont skip this step. Cut along the line to separate and press the seams open. When it comes to pressing seams on a quilt block those four words are a key rule. Hi im jennifer, here with another machine minute brought to you by baby lock and. How to make a simple patchwork quilt the polka dot chair. Never underestimate the value of good pressing in your quiltmaking. No matter how many times we seem to press those seams, they never seem to be right. Turn the panel over and press from the front to help flatten out the seams a little more.

If you lay the work down correctly on the ironing board, then the seam is laying flat ready to press toward the seam allowance. Flatten your seams set the seam by pressing it with the iron right after you sew it. Two handmade wooden quilt seam pressers this is a quilting tool used to press open 14 quilt block seams by hand. Press the seams to one side i pressed to the darker fabric again. How to press quilt seams excerpted from the quilters quick reference guide by candace eisner strick. When i got this question via email, i thought it needed a public response, and lets quilt wednesday is a perfect time to do that. I also recommend you use it at each step throughout your blocks construction. Dont stitch into the seam line or press your seams until you finish your block.

This occurs because seams are pressed to opposite directions when sewing sections together. Like many of you, i took many quilting classes that taught me to press my quilt seams to the side actually to the dark side. Pressing, on the other hand, lets you turn seam allowances to one side without distorting your patchwork or applique shapes. Pressing is an important part of the seaming process, and keeping track of the direction in which you press the seams between the pieces becomes part of how well the seams line up as you build the quilt top. October 8th, 2016, in sewing, by nancy zieman productions, llc. Many modern patchwork quilt artists like to press the seams open, however, saying it allows for a flatter seam. A little tutorial on making practically perfect points in. Now you have 2 identical qst blocks, with each of the 4 fabrics in each unit. It gives you that little added help in a clean seam intersection. Anonymous in my limited experience with making quilt tops, i find for the small block quilt it is better to iron seams open. Nancy ziemans absolute easiest way to press seams nancy. Learn the methodology for pressing quilt seams in this instructional video from national stitching circle.

Place the patchwork on your ironing board, unopened, just as it was sewn. To stitch a y seam, stitch the first seam and backstitch at the end as normal, but dont cut the thread. Sometimes it might be best to press a quilts seam allowances open instead of pressing the seams to one side. Learn how to ensure the blocks in your quilts are the same size and your quilts finish strong and flat. Pin your rows together, matching up the block seams. We do backstitch occasionally in long seams and at seam intersections, as you suggest. When to use steam and starch in patchwork quilt books.

Repeat the process to assemble the other half of the block. Usually pressing toward the dark will make this happen. Spin me round quilt pattern how to make a patchwork quilt. Tips for pressing seam allowances in quilt blocks youtube. How to press quilt blocks and quilts for best accuracy.

Pressing quilt seams national quilters circle youtube. When pressing seams open, press first from the wrong side of the fabric. Youll see pressing notes in most quilt instructions. If it is not possible, press seams open so the light seams are on the lighter fabric and the darker seams end up on the darker fabric. Quilt block piecing trick for matching seams michele made me. Most quilting patterns tell you which way to press seam allowances. As i was sewing together this quilt the completed quilt is here by the way, i finally figured out the trick. Dana jones demonstrates step by step instructions on how to set your seams by pressing with a hot iron. The fabric that the seam allowance will be pressed toward should be facing up. Press the newly sewn seams all in the same direction. Turn your iron to the cotton setting if pressing cotton patches.

Dana jones demonstrates stepbystep instructions on how to set your seams by pressing with a hot iron. The term nesting seams simply means aligning the seams of each row so that they not only line up nicely but seem to almost fit together perfectly like a puzzle piece. As much as i love detailed and more involved quilt patterns there is something so charming to me about a simple patchwork quilt. If i have stitched together a bunch of points and bulky intersections, i am going to press my seams open. I read in a quilt book that pressing seams open weakens the seam and when i called our local quilt shop to inquire they also recommended pressing the seam to one side not opening. It is exciting to see your work pressed flat and how good your block looks. Pressing seams helps keep your quilt top flat for easier quilting. Press method of using an iron to press seams and blocks. One of the most pleasurable parts of piecing together a quilt is when you take your block to the iron to press it. Most patterns instruct you to press seams toward the darker side of the fabric so those colors dont shadow through the lighter ones in the quilt. When you think about it, if your seam has been pressed open and you look at the seam from the right side, you can actually see the stitches of thread that are holding your seams. On the other hand, quilting is sewing together three layers that make up a quilt the top, the central wadding, and the backing. Nesting seams flat quilt tops and accurate piecing. Pressing seams to one side is a residue of hand piecing.

On occasion you may have to press a seam open, or pull out a few stitches and split the direction of a seam, as in the picture at the left. Theres one thing that many of you have discovered when sewing along to the modern hst sampler, and thats the bulky seams that sewing with halfsquare triangles can bring. Use your finger or ironing tool to open up the seam ahead of the iron. Pressstripsandseamsquilting a few words about ironing. You want your patchwork to lie as flat as possible. However, that which is one of the most pleasurable moments in piecing and quilting can also do the most damage. This means simply pressing downwards on the seam with the iron from above and not moving the iron back and forth which can distort the block or seam. Remember to take your time and press all your blocks properly. Match the patchwork seams in your work perfectly every time with this quilting tip so simple youll. Piece your rows together, pressing seams in alternating directions. This method of pressing quilt blocks works just as well for paper piecing as traditionally pieced units. Pressing seams starting with the darker fabric on top, open up the dark fabric piece and press along the seam line. Yet again i heard a quilt teacher tell others to press their seams to one side, rather than open, as the seam was stronger that way. Pressing quilt seams to the side is faster than pressing open and makes it easier to lock seams in place, sort of like a puzzle.

Pressing quilt seams is a crucial step of any quilt making process not only will it make it easier to join blocks, it will also make a quilt lie flatter. Set the iron down on top of the unopened unit to set the seam. My current handpiecing project, many years in work and pieced by many hands, is pictured here. I find this little technique makes quite a difference come time to do the quilting. Nesting seams means pressing the seam allowances in opposite directions. I keep coming back to pressing all my seams open so i can actually see the seams. But for the easiest and quickest patchwork quilt a beginner quilter could sew click here to see the quilt, nesting the seams is the best pressing option. The fabric that the seam allowance will be pressed toward should be. Pressing seam allowances open press open when lots of seams come together in one spot, creating too much bulk. Patchwork quilts are captivating to look at, and exciting to create. Making a simple patchwork quilt is a great way for beginners to get the hang of stitching blocks of fabric together then stitching those blocks into rows. I so want this method to work, and everyone who tries it.

If you prefer to open all the seams, press from the wrong side and gently press the seams open along the seam line. If you make a mistake during one of these stages, the entire project can go south in a hurry. All of the bernina patchwork feet have been specially engineered to help you sew the most precise 14. In this video i share with you my tips for pressing your patchwork. Utilize these pressing techniques and see how beneficial pressing can be for your own quilts. As you sew, check to make sure that the seams you pressed in the last step are laying in opposite directions so they nest perfectly. I always feel like i need to pause after saying this in a deep, firm voice and wait for the star wars movie theme song to back me up. For each tutorial, the guest designers and i provide the pressing instructions, however you are always welcome to press them differently if it works. To piece your backing, first cut your backing yardage in half. Continue with the other rows until all the rows are sewn. Match the patchwork seams in your work perfectly every time with this quilting tip so simple youll wonder why you didnt think of it yourself. I use a steady betty when pressing seams of quilt blocks and a wooden clapper, both assure the blocks stay square and the seams stay flat. Learn how to aviod speed bumps in quilts nesting seams, pins and other tricks. Watch this video to learn a great way to evenly distribute seams.

Take a moment to weigh in, do you use steam when pressing your patchwork. Let the unit cool a bit, and then flip the top fabric. See if you can spot the qsts in my friend susans gorgeous blue moon quilt. Pressing entails gently lowering and lifting the iron.

Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to find what works best for you and yields the best results for your work. Here is a brief tutorial on nesting seams from liz and elizabeth evanss quilting book, the simple simon guide to patchwork. This sentence is kind of a joke among many of us in our quilting group. Pressing quilt seams quilts, quilting tutorials, sewing. You are going to have people that swear by another way. Pressing quilt seams sewing projects for beginners. Ive heard this tip before, and every single time i try it, it refuses to work. You dont really ever want to press your seam open, because its just not as strong a seam, so closed is the way to do it, and you just sort of slide it over the edge a little bit. Some quilters prefer to press their seams open to make the quilt top lay flatter, but i usually prefer to press my seams to one side, which allows me to nest my seams and have nice intersections without using pins. Tired of having those monster bumps in your quilt blocks or seams. Two wood quilt seam pressers quilting tool sewing tool etsy. Patchwork is the skill of sewing together different fabrics to form a pattern.

Ironing is a more aggressive backandforth motion of the iron along the fabric that can pull and distort shapes. Also a little disconcerting that it took me so long see, i had learned about nesting the seams and pinning and such before, but the day before yesterday the stars aligned, the heavens opened up and, i understood. Some quilters prefer to press all seams open for a smoother, flatter finished quilt top and to prevent fabrics from showing through in the seam allowances. Most quilters press seams open when making the backing for a quilt. Pressing quilt seams to the side or open the spruce crafts. Take the block to the ironing board, with the block facing right side up press. Top tips for pressing fabric like a pro all people quilt. This illustrated guide will show you how to press quilt block seams. Quilting, especially hand quilting, is easier when seam allowances are not doubled up. While there are actually many feet you can use when sewing patchwork and quilting, were sharing the feet mostused when creating patchwork and quilting stitches. Pressing picking a hot iron up off your fabric or quilt top and then putting it down in another place to remove the wrinkles. I dont like doing this because 1 its timeconsuming, and 2 it weakens the quilt top at all the seams. This is not a problem with a simple block like a 4patch quilt block.

To achieve a smooth and even quilt top, its important to consider how the seam allowances come together. Pressing seams to the side establishes a stronger quilt because its both the fabric and thread that are holding those seams together rather than just the thread. Patchwork and quilting are often combined in the same project, but these two have different techniques. I like to press my seams open because it reduces seam bulk, but you can also press to the side if.