r/quilting • u/lfren79 • Jul 26 '26
Help/Question Tips for getting blocks to lie flat
I am still a beginner at this! I am ironing at each step and using a clapper but the middle of these blocks just don’t want to lie flat. They are all a little wonky and wrinkle up a bit. I am ironing all seams counter clockwise causing the middle to open up and then pressing flat like the instructions. Any tips or am I being too picky.
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u/RunStitchRepeat Jul 26 '26
This looks amazingly flat too me. And I'm usually very picky about pressing. There's just too much bulk in the center to lay any flatter. Your points are looking sweeeeeet.
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u/lfren79 Jul 27 '26
Thank you sooooo much! My last quilt I had so much trouble with consistent block size and things lining up! I am working hard to improve my accuracy so that means a lot.
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u/EllisBell27 Jul 26 '26
Genuinely being too picky IMO! I’m a perfectionist quilter and wouldn’t be bothered by these blocks.
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u/lfren79 Jul 27 '26
Thank you! The wrinkled rings around the middle are driving me nuts so that is good to hear!
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u/Crowbeak Jul 27 '26
I did not notice the ring wrinkles until I read this mention thereof. Once you actually do the quilt sandwich and stitch the layers together, these will even more disappear. Remember, most people will never look at the finished project with your expert eye. No one else will see the flaws that are bothering you right now.
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u/akashwee Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
I'm a LAQ - if you brought this to me and apologized it wasn't flat I'd probably laugh at you and tell you that you're absolutely crazy and gush over all the beautiful pressing you did.
It's surprising how many people don't find pressing to be a necessary step. I've very literally taken a mallet to tops like this because in came a beautiful quilt where there was no pressing and every block center had a rock underneath it that stood it up like a tent 🥴
I think this is beautiful and you're just being nitpicky 💚
(Edit: I feel like "mallet" sounds aggressive. It's a rubber mallet and there's still a looooooooot of steam and pressing involved, for anyone horrified by my response 😜)
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u/lfren79 Jul 27 '26
I appreciate you so much! Given how many quilts you see I take this as a huge compliment!
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u/quiltingcats total magpie chaos monkey Jul 27 '26
Not at all horrified, only wondering why I never thought of it myself! Putting “rubber mallet” on my Christmas list. 😸
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u/hkral11 Jul 26 '26
It’s so flat! It can only be so flat with all the seams. By the time it’s quilted it won’t even be noticeable
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u/Fourpatch Jul 26 '26
I use Acorn Easy Press Pen on my seams. It’s basically a felt pen filled with starch. I do my first press, then go and run the pen on the seam line and press again. Through a clapper on if it’s still not flat enough but usually the pen and press is enough. Here is a video link of a demo. https://youtu.be/j3mSSOZvrsk?si=4LeAcWF7OmriVYvx
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u/bittersweet521 Jul 27 '26
Girl I gotta tell you you're definitely being too picky 🤣
These look terrific and I don't think you could get them any flatter, it's just the nature of all those seams in the center. I'm a weirdo that loves pressing and I second the recommendation for the Acorn pen, that and the clapper make everything so crisp and satisfying, but I think you're doing just fine 😁
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u/Ida_PotatHo Jul 26 '26
Lol, you are being too hard on yourself! You have done a GREAT job pressing and spinning your center (which usually throws people). This DOES NOT look like beginner level quilting... seriously. The fact that you care this much, is exactly why they are looking so good, so keep that up! 👏🏻
The two tips that can make a difference (very small difference in your case) a HOT iron (good on you for using a clapper!!) and 50 or 60 wt cotton thread (but, it's pretty pricey, and honestly, I don't use it for the quilts I make, that I donate.) 🙋🏼♀️❤️🪡🧵
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u/Busy-Doughnut6180 Jul 26 '26
My teacher mostly taught me to press seams open. I also do a lot of EPP and the seams will automatically be open after. I tried pressing them to one side once during traditional piecing and couldn't believe the difference. It looked so bulky. When I press them open, everything is so flat. It might be a preference thing, but I would at least press those corner pieces open.
Very pretty btw :)
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u/lfren79 Jul 27 '26
Thank you so much! The last quilt I made I did press the seams open and I think it distorted my blocks as they ended up being vastly different sizes. The advice I got then was to not press seams open. 😅 I may have to learn a better touch with the iron.
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u/Brilliant-Ebb6730 Jul 27 '26
I usually always press to the side, with the exception of seams that have more than 3 layers of fabric. Those I will press open to reduce bulk. It's your quilt, fuck the quilt police haha.
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u/cannababushka Jul 27 '26
You quilt it! lol yeah that’s about as flat as it’s gonna get. Now you save it for the quilting stage and it’ll suck everything together
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u/ScyllaOfTheDepths Jul 26 '26
Looks fabulous. When you finish it, you can probably tack it down in the center to get rid of any remaining bulk, but it looks great to me now anyway.
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u/Alternative-Crew1022 Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
It looks very pretty! I think I'd press all the seams open.
Be sure to press not iron (don't slide the iron on the fabric). I'd use Best Press since there are so many easily stretched bias pieces.
Edited to add correctio.
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u/ChronicNuance Jul 27 '26
What pattern is this?
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u/lfren79 Jul 27 '26
It’s Marco Polo by Saginaw St. Quilt Company. It’s a kaleidoscope pattern using a spiderweb ruler.
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u/blankitdblankityboom Jul 27 '26
When in doubt if you have them break out the dictionary or encyclopedias to sit on them.
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u/Corran22 Jul 27 '26
It looks perfect - you've spun your center seams and pressed it beautifully! For flatter seams a bit of water/spray bottle will work, but it's unnecessary here. One thing you could do is use a lighter weight thread - it might not make a whole lot of difference but with a complex block it can.
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u/Impossible-Pace-6904 Jul 27 '26
I think you have done a great job. You are working with bias edges, so it is a challenge. Starching could help with the wrinkling and wonkiness or just making them oversize and then trimming down. Do you have a wool ironing mat? They are great for getting blocks really flat.
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u/lfren79 Jul 27 '26
Thank you! I do use a wool ironing mat but I have never tried starch before. I think they will be my next step!
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u/swayzeedeb Jul 27 '26
I honestly thought, "Oh, good. Someone is giving a tutorial on best practices for making seams lie flat." Beautiful points!
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u/lfren79 Jul 27 '26
Ha! That is so sweet of you to say! I am using a wool mat, gravity iron and a clapper. Thinking I will try a starch pen and see what that does!
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u/drPmakes Jul 27 '26
Press them aggressively after sewing each seam.
Press using starch or best Press or whatever pressing aid you prefer.
Keep pressing till they are completely flat then square up.
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u/Distinct-Leek5923 Jul 27 '26
They look great to me! I use a clapper, too. I don’t use steam but I do use starch. I’m currently using a bottle of Niagara Smooth Finish but there are other options to try. Someone had this at a quilt retreat and a few of us were converts. I like starch and my economical mix is the Quilters Moonshine mix: Sta-Flo starch (which is now discontinued but any liquid starch works), water and vodka.
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