Top Five Tips: Patchwork Pressing

Tip One

Press, don’t iron. It might sound like the same thing however there’s a subtle but very important difference. Pressing applies heat and downward pressure to seams. Ironing combines heat, downward and side-to-side pressure; the movement in ironing is more likely to pull the fabric out of shape. It is this pulling of fabric that can then lead to ripples at the seams and uneven blocks. The half square triangle unit on the left isn’t perfectly square anymore because it has been ironed open, but the one on the right has been carefully pressed and is still square.

Tip Two

Like the process of pressing, the tools aren’t super exciting either and I think can often get overlooked in favour of more interesting patchwork gadgets. But as pressing is a pretty crucial stage and one that is used in most, if not all, patchwork projects I think a few really useful tools shouldn’t be pushed to the bottom of your “must buy” list.

• Good iron; when I say good, that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive! What you want is an iron that isn’t too heavy (so your arm doesn’t get too tired after lots of pressing), one that gets hot but not too hot, and I prefer full size irons as I find it easier to press entire seam blocks without moving the iron around.
• Wool pressing mat; although they are more expensive, 100% felted wool mats are a great choice because they are thicker and better quality which means they are more effective and last longer. The soft surface of a wool mat allows your seams to sink in when being pressed which gives a crisper and more even finish. Also they absorb heat so stay warm as you’re working on them.
• Pressing spray; I’ve mentioned this third as I would priorities the other two tools over a pressing spray but this is still a useful addition to your sewing stash. My favourite is Flatter Smoothing Spray by Soak and I often reach for the pressing spray if my fabric has creases or if I need a bulky seam to lay more smoothly.

Tip Three

Finger pressing seams before using an iron can give a better finish and helps you to resist the urge to move the iron over the seam to help it open up or move to the side. When finger pressing it is still important to be gentle so you don’t pull at the seam or stretch the fabric.

Tip Four

Always keep in mind that there are pros and cons to pressing seams open and pressing seams to the side. Some quilters will swear by only ever using one method and if that works for them then that is fantastic, but I think it’s best to use both. Choose between ‘open’ and ‘to the side’ based on the patchwork design so you can avoid too much bulk at certain points in a block and so that you are able to nest seams where possible (which is a big help with matching up seams).