Steam? Or not?

I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a
lifetime. I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided
to go for Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". ALL those little squares
and ALL those 1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and
the ruler and just went for it! SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. (And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? And is there a trick with
the type of iron? I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias
seams (when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is
best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

Nel
(Gadget Queen)

When I am piecing, I have a dry iron on the windowsill beside me (on a
spare wall tile for safely). I have my very small ironing board
(home-made, about 14 inches or so square, with feet made from doorstops)
leaning on the legs of my table, just within reach of my right hand.
As I piece, I press each seam - I now press open, almost all the time; I
just love the extra flat look, but I know I am unusual in that. When I
have finished a block or a section, I will then decamp to the kitchen
and press with my steam iron. The result is that I never press with
steam until I am certain that all is well with the piece(s) I've been
working on.
Tips on strip sets and cross cutting: pressing open is helpful for
cutting evenly; as is placing the strip sets seam side UP. This means
that the surface on the cutting mat is the flatter of the two.
Setting then pressing is the way to go, as you say. Fine thread is also
helpful when you are planning to make strip sets and cross cut - less
bulk.

You would have to press very hard with the ruler, to avoid a zig or zag
at a bumpy seam. That's one reason why I adopted pressing open. It is
no more prone to pleats on the other side, that pressing to the side,
and a quick flick of a finger-nail opens even a quarter inch seam quite
readily.

If you are cutting the strips and the piece you are cutting from is
folded, that is a favourite situation for zigs and zags to occur. You
will almost certainly get a better result if you place the folded edge
nearest to you before you cut - thus you get the greater weight on the
ruler and the strongest push on the cutter.

Hope something there helps.
..
In message
,
Sartorresartus writes
I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a
lifetime. I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided
to go for Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". ALL those little squares
and ALL those 1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and
the ruler and just went for it! SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. (And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? And is there a trick with
the type of iron? I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias
seams (when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is
best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

Nel
(Gadget Queen)

--
Best Regards
Pat on the Green

Well said, Pat. I could not have done better myself. When my steam iron
was not feeling well, I did notice that everything went quite well without
it. Maybe I just 'like' steam. ? Polly
"Pat S" wrote in message
...
When I am piecing, I have a dry iron on the windowsill beside me (on a
spare wall tile for safely). I have my very small ironing board
(home-made, about 14 inches or so square, with feet made from doorstops)
leaning on the legs of my table, just within reach of my right hand.
As I piece, I press each seam - I now press open, almost all the time; I
just love the extra flat look, but I know I am unusual in that. When I
have finished a block or a section, I will then decamp to the kitchen and
press with my steam iron. The result is that I never press with steam
until I am certain that all is well with the piece(s) I've been working
on.
Tips on strip sets and cross cutting: pressing open is helpful for cutting
evenly; as is placing the strip sets seam side UP. This means that the
surface on the cutting mat is the flatter of the two.
Setting then pressing is the way to go, as you say. Fine thread is also
helpful when you are planning to make strip sets and cross cut - less
bulk.

You would have to press very hard with the ruler, to avoid a zig or zag at
a bumpy seam. That's one reason why I adopted pressing open. It is no
more prone to pleats on the other side, that pressing to the side, and a
quick flick of a finger-nail opens even a quarter inch seam quite readily.

If you are cutting the strips and the piece you are cutting from is
folded, that is a favourite situation for zigs and zags to occur. You
will almost certainly get a better result if you place the folded edge
nearest to you before you cut - thus you get the greater weight on the
ruler and the strongest push on the cutter.

Hope something there helps.
.
In message
,
Sartorresartus writes
I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a
lifetime. I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided
to go for Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". ALL those little squares
and ALL those 1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and
the ruler and just went for it! SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. (And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? And is there a trick with
the type of iron? I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias
seams (when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is
best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

Nel
(Gadget Queen)

--
Best Regards
Pat on the Green

Yes, I've heard that, too, Sandy.
So, Nel, it must be right g
..
In message , Sandy
writes

Like Pat, I don't use steam until I'm sure everything is "just so". That
doesn't mean I don't sometimes run into problems, but at least I've only
heat set the seams and steam hasn't permanently done its thing. g

As for strip sets, have you tried sewing the pieces together,
alternating the direction from which you start? I've heard that this
helps prevent skewing before the pressing.


--
Best Regards
Pat on the Green

If I said that I prefer to use my right index finger nail - would you
believe me? I discovered when making the multiple strata for my curved
piecing projects that the best method for working with the seams was to use
my finger nail to open the seams first - when I had a full set of strata
ready, I would move to the ironing board to use steam - no creases and no
warping.
I still use my fingernail for all my seams now and prefer the finished
product. When I worked on my cousin's chemo-quilt last month, I was glad
that I wasn't having to use the iron during the days of heat and humidity.
All the blocks were square and I didn't use the iron at all until the quilt
top was finished.......I ironed from the top and allowed all the seams to
lie as they wanted. Barnyowl -

"Sartorresartus" wrote in message
...
I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a
lifetime. I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided
to go for Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". ALL those little squares
and ALL those 1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and
the ruler and just went for it! SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. (And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? And is there a trick with
the type of iron? I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias
seams (when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is
best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

Nel
(Gadget Queen)

Are we voting? I mostly don't steam during construction. The small
pieces don't give much to hold on to where my fingers are safely out
of the way, and it isn't necessary for a crisp cotton seam. But I
sometimes give a finished block a jolt of steam, especially if it has
a lot of intersections. Helps flatten everything.
Roberta in D

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:15:21 -0700 (PDT), Sartorresartus
wrote:

I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a
lifetime. I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided
to go for Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". ALL those little squares
and ALL those 1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and
the ruler and just went for it! SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. (And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? And is there a trick with
the type of iron? I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias
seams (when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is
best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

Nel
(Gadget Queen)

On Aug 30, 4:15*am, Sartorresartus wrote:
I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a
lifetime. *I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided
to go for *Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". *ALL those little squares
and ALL those 1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. *Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. *I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. *I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. *In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and
the ruler and just went for it! *SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. *(And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? *And is there a trick with
the type of iron? *I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias
seams (when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is
best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? *And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

Nel
(Gadget Queen)

I'm like Pat - an open seam presser. I must say I mostly use steam
with little problems. If the steam creates a problem it also fixes
it. When doing cross cuts I usually put a registration line of the
ruler on the seam vs. the edge of the strip set I am cutting. Gives
me the option of straightening edges if my sewing was a bit off if
necessary. I also recently put the clear Invisigrip dots on the 4
corners of my most used rulers and find that has been tremendously
helpful. Really keeps the ruler steady and no slips any longer.

Kim in NJ

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:15:21 -0700, Sartorresartus wrote:

I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a lifetime.
I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided to go for
Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". ALL those little squares and ALL those
1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and the
ruler and just went for it! SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. (And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? And is there a trick with
the type of iron? I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias seams
(when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

I am one of those people that has never put water in my iron, ever.
I do believe irons last longer when you only run them dry.
I keep a spray bottle of water near to hand for stubborn bits, and press
things like linen while they are still damp from the wash.

When I am going to be doing a lot of cross-cutting, or crosscutting into
weeny bits, I tend to press seams open.
I am not generally prone to pressing open on a quilt top, but sometimes
you need to have things lying as flat as possible, with fewer layers to
cut through for the sake of accuracy.

NightMist




--
I'm raising a developmentally disabled child. What's your superpower?

NightMist, you reminded me of something from way back in the days of no
steam irons, or at least one that my Mom could afford in the 60's. It was
my chore when she was cooking supper to lay the clothes on the kitchen table
and sprinkle them with the "sprinkle bottle" so that after supper when Dad
and my sister and I sat at the kitchen table doing "homework", I was only in
grade school mind you, or playing games, Mom would iron away.

Thanks for the memories.

Steven
Alaska


"NightMist" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:15:21 -0700, Sartorresartus wrote:

I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a lifetime.
I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided to go for
Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". ALL those little squares and ALL those
1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and the
ruler and just went for it! SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. (And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? And is there a trick with
the type of iron? I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias seams
(when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

I am one of those people that has never put water in my iron, ever.
I do believe irons last longer when you only run them dry.
I keep a spray bottle of water near to hand for stubborn bits, and press
things like linen while they are still damp from the wash.

When I am going to be doing a lot of cross-cutting, or crosscutting into
weeny bits, I tend to press seams open.
I am not generally prone to pressing open on a quilt top, but sometimes
you need to have things lying as flat as possible, with fewer layers to
cut through for the sake of accuracy.

NightMist




--
I'm raising a developmentally disabled child. What's your superpower?

Yep, Steven, I have the same memories. That bottle was a standard
feature in the kitchen, my mother used distilled water in it because
of the tap water quality in the area [but we all grew up on that same
tap water, go figure!].
There was a a spot in the dining room where the ironing took place. My
mother ironed shirts, sheets, pants, even underwear. She could put a
military crease in like nobody's business.

Ginger in CA

On Aug 30, 10:59*pm, "Steven Cook" wrote:
NightMist, you reminded me of something from way back in the days of no
steam irons, or at least one that my Mom could afford in the 60's. *It was
my chore when she was cooking supper to lay the clothes on the kitchen table
and sprinkle them with the "sprinkle bottle" so that after supper when Dad
and my sister and I sat at the kitchen table doing "homework", I was only in
grade school mind you, or playing games, Mom would iron away.

Thanks for the memories.

Steven
Alaska

"NightMist" wrote in message

...



On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:15:21 -0700, Sartorresartus wrote:

I'm pottering through my first patchwork for what seems like a lifetime.
*I fell in love/lust of a couple of jelly rolls and decided to go for
Eleanor Burns' "Boston Commons". *ALL those little squares and ALL those
1/4" seams: I'd forgotten so much about it all.

I was going great guns until the cross-cutting stage. *Then, suddenly,
none of the seams seemed straight. *I re-measured and tweaked, but it
all seemed very hard going. *I discovered it was the pressing that was
going askew. *In the end, I lined up the right angles on the mat and the
ruler and just went for it! *SCARY!

Now, I always set the seam, then press. *(And I mean press, not iron)
The question is: to steam or not to steam? *And is there a trick with
the type of iron? *I've tried both, and with the exeption of bias seams
(when steam seems a recipe for disaster) I can't decide which is best.

Suggestions and advice and recommendations, please? *And tricks for
cross-cutting that doesn't result in boomerangs and dog-legs?

I am one of those people that has never put water in my iron, ever.
I do believe irons last longer when you only run them dry.
I keep a spray bottle of water near to hand for stubborn bits, and press
things like linen while they are still damp from the wash.

When I am going to be doing a lot of cross-cutting, or crosscutting into
weeny bits, I tend to press seams open.
I am not generally prone to pressing open on a quilt top, but sometimes
you need to have things lying as flat as possible, with fewer layers to
cut through for the sake of accuracy.

NightMist

--
I'm raising a developmentally disabled child. *What's your superpower?