From – May 19, 2010
I was asked about the “REAL” necessity of pressing out the seams in quilting. I think that the questioner was trying to get me to admit that pressing is one of those steps that pro quilters kind of skip as they create their pieces of art.
Nothing could be further from the truth. I have yet to meet an even adequate quilter who isn’t compulsive about their seams being nicely crisp.
A well pressed seam will give you more perfectly measured pieces. It will assure that you won’t have folds in your top. It will make the sewing much easier by correctly matching up the corners.
The trick is to make sure that your pressing is done correctly. To really do the job effectively, press from the back of the piece and the front as well. Pressing the back seam allowance in the correct direction will make lining up the corners trouble-free and make the rest of the extra fabric less bulky when quilted. Pressing the top from the front will give you the opportunity to check for folds close to the seams. Pressing the fabric close to the seams flat is the objective.
Ironing, scrubbing at the fabric may stretch the material that has been so carefully cut and stitched. It isn’t ironing, it is placing the iron down on the seams and pressing down.
Any time you spend at the ironing board will be more than made up for in the rest of the sewing process and the pleasure of a beautiful final result.
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Karen Dennison
Learn, Grow, Share – And most of all – Create!
