Beginner Quilter needs help

[emcgoura]

I am working on my first quilt and I am sewing strips together. I have been pressing my seams together to the side with with the darker fabric but I am noticing the seams are quite visable and a little bulky. Is it possible to repress these seams again by seperating them and repressing them each on their own side. I hope this question is understandable as I am not sure I am describing my problem clearly.

Thank you,

[WeSignificant]

Some people do that but most iron to one side. You can always repress. Some tips which might be helpful-

once the seam is sew, press it to set the stiches, then iron to the darker side. I iron from the back first, and then the front. You are right though, it will not lay like a dress seam. If you have an area where several fabrics come together, you can remove some stitches within the seam allowance and pressed that area open. Then it will lay flatter. Boy this all sound confusing! Hope you can understand it.

[emcgoura]

Thank you, you were very helpful as well as very clear in you explanation.

[gardenquilter]

sometimes pressing with a spoon first will help it lay flatter when you put the iron on it - make sure the seam in 1/4"

I was also taught early on, still do this, and teach to press from the front being careful not to stretch the fabric and press often
don't wait until the end or it doesnt' always lay flat and fit together often I always press so the seam goes to the dark

[astitchintime]

Welcome to our happy quilting family!!!

The process sounds confusing but if you take a few scraps and make a sample to play with it helps alot. I always expected my seams to be very flat and lay just right.........wrong! You will get it right as time goes by, WeSignificant and gardenquilter are right about both methods. Practise makes perfect or at least close to it. Try not to stress over it, quilting is such fun and like anything else the more you do it the better you will get. Keep in touch, let us know how you are doing and if you have questions, just ask!!

Have a great weekend,
Happy stitching!!
Debi

[Pilot2b]

Welcome, first of all, emcgoura, from our wonderful neighbor, Canada. I learned a few years ago, when I took a Bargello class from a delightful lady who now lives here. Her technique, and it worked for me, was to to not sew strips from same end, alternate. Sounded a little different to me, but I was a new quilter.

Say you have a blue strip to start with. Take the next strip, and color is purple, place purple on top of the blue strip and sew purple to blue, from top to bottom. STOP. Cut the threads, open up strip and sew next strip from bottom up on the purple piece. STOP. when you get to the top. then sew the next strip from top to bottom.

It works for me. If you forget, don't "UNSEW", just continue top, then bottom, etc.

Hope this works.

Helen

[sewbug]

I was taught to take the seam and give it a good tug from end to end before pressing it open. It does seem to make the seam lay better. I usually press all my seams open unless I'm using white fabric. My seams match up better for me when pressed open. In time you will find the way that suits you. Remember all quilt police are self appointed.

[calicopuzzle]

I was always taught to set the seam by pressing with the iron after it is sewn....just like Wesignificant just said. Then press the seam to one side...usually towards the darker fabric. If you can catch Eleanor on television and see her press, you will learn alot. I learned to do a better job by watching her program. You might also watch the QNN Network on your internet, they have some good basic quilting shows. http://www.qnntv.com/ Sometimes Eleanor herself is on!!

[cindyg]

I don't know why we don't press our seams open. The reason to press to one side was started when everyone hand pieced their quilts and pressing to one side stabilized that hand sewn seam. Our sewing machines lock our stitches together and the stitches are very close so I don't see why we don't just press open all the seams. Any ideas anyone???

[fowki]

"Remember all quilt police are self appointed."

As a beginner, this is now going to be my mantra!