Pressing Techniques: Basic Rules
Give these basic pressing rules a quick read. There might be something here you haven’t tried yet.
- Do not ignore any pressing directions given in patterns
- Test on a scrap to compare pressed and unpressed portion
- Check if any reaction to heat and moisture…water marks, puckering, or dulling?
- When possible try to press with grain and be careful not to stretch edges, bias or curves by pulling
- Press seams on the wrong side first and then again lightly on the right side.
- Best to press seams toward darker colors when possible for quilt blocks and toward the back on garments
- Use the tip of your iron moving the same direction as stitched
- Never press over pins, markings or basting threads
- To prevent ridges on right side…press on padded surface, over a seam roll or use brown paper strips under the seam allowance
- Press long seams going across your ironing board to prevent distorting grain line
- Always press seams before they are sewn with another seam for accurate fit
- Intersecting seams are usually pressed in opposite directions to distribute bulk
- Do a final “touch-up” press on completion, but not as a remedy for haphazard pressing during construction
- Do not press after completing quilting top as pressing will flatten the batting
- Keep sole plate clean and free of debris
- Know your fabric fiber and do not over-press
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