Tips for pressing seam allowances in quilt blocks youtube. And of course there are always exceptions to every rule. The patchwork from the charm packs did not line up and every 45 squares were off. Dec 18, 2019 i find i can match up my seams better when the seams are pressed to one side, going in opposite directions. I mostly press to the side as well, but the occasional quilt does call for open pressing, so it lays nice and flat tesselating quilts look much better pressed flat. Quick tip this months ufo quilting project is all about half square triangles hsts. I also recommend you use it at each step throughout your blocks construction. When sewing several hsts together there tends to be a lot. Sew an inner border strip to the top and bottom of the quilt, and trim. I like to press my seams open because it reduces seam bulk, but you can also press to the side if. One reason many quilters like to pressing quilt seams open is that they feel the pieces lay stronger. Fat quarter shop features the latest quilting notions including many iron and pressing aides.
How to sew a basic ninepatch quilt block fabric406. I needed the texture of the seams pressed to the side. I so want this method to work, and everyone who tries it swears by it. A seam pieced by hand with a running stitch is not strong, and so it is pressed to one side, not to strengthen the seam, but to cover the holes which would invariably open along the seam and let out the batting. Nesting your seams starts with the way you press them. How i press open quilt block seams quick tip youtube. I dont like doing this because 1 its timeconsuming, and 2 it weakens the quilt top at all the seams. If you pressed all the seam allowances toward the darker fabric, the strips should fit together neatly. Also, pressing the seam allowances in opposite directions means that when you sew the rowscolumns together, the seams will nest together nicely and makes for nice intersections that lay flat. Youre finish ironing, and as you start to stitch the units together, you notice some of the pieces are now longer than other identical ones. Learn how to aviod speed bumps in quilts nesting seams, pins and other tricks.
I find i can match up my seams better when the seams are pressed to one side, going in opposite directions. I keep coming back to pressing all my seams open so i can actually see the seams. In my searching, i found an interesting article on the merits of pressing seams open here. Apr, 2017 julie gives you tips on pressing your seams.
When free motion quilting, you are in charge of moving the quilt under your presser foot, rather than allowing the machine feed dogs to move the quilt. 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. 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. This little tip works well whether you plan on stitching in the ditch or even for free motion quilting. Ive heard this tip before, and every single time i try it, it refuses to work.
Multiple layer seams can be finger pressed, but it is probably best to use forego the fingers and use an iron. Nesting seams and other tricks to avoid speed bumps in. Dana jones demonstrates stepbystep instructions on how to set your seams by pressing with a hot iron. Perfecting quilt seam pressing with a clean iron 2. In this video i share with you my tips for pressing your patchwork. Patchwork drawstring bag tutorial the polka dot chair. This consistency helps us to snuggle our seams when we sew pieces together while making individual blocks, sewing one block to another, and even sewing long. Nesting seams flat quilt tops and accurate piecing. See more ideas about quilting tips, quilting techniques, quilting tutorials. Speedy patchwork tote bags easy sewing tutorial sewcanshe. Seam pressing is a skill thats required to make perfect quilt seams. I will show you how to chain piece and nest your seams together for perfect corners.
If your previously straight seams are now curved, then youre applying too much pressure as you push the iron across the fabric. Next, you will cut the strip sets into smaller units. When it comes to pressing seams on a quilt block those four words are a key rule. Piece your rows together, pressing seams in alternating directions. And if you havent, you will be hooked after you see how easy it is. My mom and sister prefer pressing seams to the side, while i like to press seams open. 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. But pressing your seams toward the darker fabric is important for another reason too.
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. Repeat these steps with your other patchwork pieces. Patchwork cutters have been inspiring cake decorators for over 20 years. Apr 07, 2018 i also back stitch crucial seamslike those at the edge of a block. Pressing the seam will help you sew on the next triangle more accurately, so dont skip this step. Betty has wonderful swirl pressing examples in the units with. Let me say first that i am talking about machine piecing. Quilt block piecing trick for matching seams michele made me. Bulky seams are no fun when it comes time to do some quilting.
I really stink at getting the seams to lie open when im pressing, though, and it takes me forever compared to pressing to the side. 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. You start pressing seams as directed by the pattern or the best way you know how. Line up the seams and then pin directly through the seams or as closely as possible to them. Quilting tutorials, quilting projects, quilting designs, sewing projects, quilting tips, paper piecing, patchwork quilt patterns, quilting patterns, flying geese quilt. Tired of having those monster bumps in your quilt blocks or seams. I also agree, that if youre planning on stitching in the ditch, it. Press, dont iron pressing is the motion of lowering and lifting the iron from the fabric surface. I considered pressing open seams on the quilt im working on now, but its a forest design and the flat just didnt look nice. Whatever your preference, below are some tips to assure the bestpressed seams. How to press seams open in quilting fat quarter shop youtube. This sentence is kind of a joke among many of us in our quilting group. Pressing seams to one side is a residue of hand piecing. 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.
Nesting seams and other tricks to avoid speed bumps in your quilt. Nesting seams means pressing the seam allowances in opposite directions. Pressing quilt seams quilts, quilting tutorials, sewing. Okay, i wont say i will never clip a seam when quilting, maybe i just havent stitched a seam that requires this, but i know i will hesitate before doing it. Anonymous in my limited experience with making quilt tops, i find for the small block quilt it is better to iron seams open. Place the pressing paper under the patchwork to protect your ironing board from the glue and use a pressing cloth to protect the interfacing from the hot iron. Even if you dont quilt but do love patchwork, you might have been using the fourpatch block all the time anyway. Pressing quilt seams is a crucial step of any quiltmaking process not only will it make it easier to join blocks, it will also make a quilt lie flatter. Unfortunately, if you were to stitch in the ditch, you would not catch fabric but threads. Sew an inner border strip to the left and right sides of the quilt, and trim to be even with the quilt.
May seem a bit expensive but i think it was worth it. Nov 07, 2018 even if you dont quilt but do love patchwork, you might have been using the fourpatch block all the time anyway. 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. This will ensure it lies nice and flat and it will help with getting accurate joins. Jan 21, 2020 when pressing, stitch the top row seams to the right, the next row seams to the left, the next row to the right etc. Today this happy longarm quilter has a tip for all the beginners out there who struggle with too much bulk where seams meet. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Never underestimate the value of good pressing in your quiltmaking. Kathy patterson of mccalls quilting shares tips for saving time by chain piecing quilt units, and pressing seam allowances to lie in opposite directions. Sew the second set of strips together, pressing the seams toward the darker fabric. 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 stitchin. Here is another tutorial if youd like to read one, or you can also watch tutorials on youtube. 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.
Kathy patterson of mccalls quilting shares tips for saving time by chain piecing quilt units, and pressing seam allowances to lie in opposite. The reason we are showing both the front and backs of the blocks is so you can see the pressing. Pressing the seams away from each other at the intersections will help you get a flatter piece of patchwork. Free motion quilting allows you the freedom to quilt various shapes and designs on your projects by stitching in all directions. May 19, 2014 ive already sewn three rows with three squares each. Nancy zieman shares her absolute easiest way for pressing seams using an iron. Ironing is the backandforth motion of the iron on the fabric. Lay the two strip sets with right sides together so the seams nest. How to create flatter seams when pressing your quilt. I use any handy fat quarter of fabric for a pressing cloth. Learn how important it is to press as you sew and how to press seams. How to make a four patch quilt block two at a time.
Pressing seam allowances as you work helps eliminate little bits of fabric that become lost within seam allowances, creating distortions and making your finished quilt blocks smaller than they should be. This method of pressing quilt blocks works just as well for paper piecing as traditionally pieced units. How to press quilt blocks and quilts for best accuracy. This video describes a split seam or twisted seam concept to obtain flatter quilt blocks and will allow your blocks to better nest together. Press open or to the side, you decide, julie gives you suggestions that work best for your block or strip set. Pressing quilt seams quilts, quilting tutorials, sewing circles.
Dana jones demonstrates step by step instructions on how to set your seams by pressing with a hot iron. The company was founded in 1994 by marion frost with the aim to help cake decorators at both beginner and advanced levels to create quick, clean designs. Leah weighs in on the great quilting debate in this hello my quilting friends podcast. 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 seams open or to one side generations quilt patterns.
When we all press our seams to one side the darker of the fabrics it also creates consistency. Nesting seams flat quilt tops and accurate piecing getas. Here is a brief tutorial on nesting seams from liz and elizabeth evanss quilting book, the simple simon guide to patchwork. Your quiltmaking skills will improve immediately when you learn how to press quilt blocks. Im planning quite a lot of my christmas decorations, just to make use of these cute fourpatch blocks. Pressing quilt seams national quilters circle youtube. Jo shows how to align your fabric for perfect 14 seaming.
Today im sharing my fabric pressing tips and techniques, how to reading pressing directions on most patterns, and how to fix seam issues. When pressing, stitch the top row seams to the right, the next row seams to the left, the next row to the right etc. To piece your backing, first cut your backing yardage in half. Set a square in the top left corner of your star so you understand where it goes.
Press seam allowances toward the inside of the block. When seams fall on the bias, extra care is important if finger pressing. Patchwork is a sewing technique that you can use to make a quilt, a patchwork apron, or any other type of sewing project that you would like to have a multicolor, patchwork look. Jan 29, 2019 pressing the seams away from each other at the intersections will help you get a flatter piece of patchwork. Utilize these pressing techniques and see how beneficial pressing can be for your own quilts. You just spent time measuring, cutting, sorting, arranging, stitching and now you need to set, and flatten the seams, and take out any unwanted creases. Bestselling author carrie nelson reveals how to pop quiltblock seams so your blocks lay superflat and nest perfectly together with. Im so excited to start my first lets talk series with a discussion about pressing seams. Pin your rows together, matching up the block seams.
Apr 28, 2016 here is a brief tutorial on nesting seams from liz and elizabeth evanss quilting book, the simple simon guide to patchwork. Finger pressing works great for short seams on the straight of grain or cross grain. Nancy ziemans absolute easiest way to press seams nancy. So simple yet so handy for pressing seams on patchwork projects quickly, instead of finger pressing or burning my fingers on my iron. If you must run your iron across your patchwork, again, go with the grain. Using quilt templates and specialty rulers to cut fabric.
I so want this method to work, and everyone who tries it. Then flip it right side down along the bottom line with the bottom edge still lined up with your star. In my search of a tool that will make pressing seams in cotton easier, i thought i would have found a winner, alas, not yet. Press to the dark is just the first rule most people learn in patchwork pressing.
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