You’re a quilter. You’re making a lovely quilt block, but when you’re finished, the blocks seems… well, lumpy. This sounds like a pressing issue, and that’s pressing as in using the iron.
Let’s start with a simple four patch block. This block is made of two (2) squares of a light color fabric and two (2) squares of a dark color fabric. The general rule-of-thumb is to press the seams toward the darker fabric, and indeed that makes the most sense in this case as well. The real magic begins when the two pairs are sewn together to form the final block.
The opposing seams “nest” together, lock the fabrics in place, and create a perfect intersection of seams. However, the magic doesn’t stop there! When you go to press the newest seam, you can manipulate the seam allowance to create a configuration that evenly distributes the fabric. It also creates a mini-four patch at the seam intersection.
See the process in action by watching the little video below:
Do you always press your seams to reduce the bulk and distribute the fabric as evenly as possible? What issues to you encounter when quilting? Leave a comment below!
2 Comments
Fabulous tip – it really does make a big difference! Ever since I learnt this I have had a huge improvement in my corners meeting and my seams being less bulky.
Last week I made a pinwheel block for the first time – any tips for getting the middle to sit flat – you know, where all the points meet?
Thanks Crafty Mummy! You can use the same technique for the pinwheel block too – and you should end up with a very mini pinwheel at the center of you block on the wrong side. Hmmm… I feel another video coming!