3 Tips for the Flattest Quilt Blocks

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The Flatter the Blocks the Nicer the Quilt!

Have you ever produced quilt blocks that were a bit wavy or that had bulky intersections? Less-than-flat blocks lead to a top that’s not entirely flat and a finished quilt that’s not as nice as it could be.

While some of that will “quilt out”, in general, the flatter the blocks the more smooth and polished the quilt will be. While careful cutting and piecing are key to producing flat blocks, the following three pro tips will ensure that all of your blocks are as flat as possible.

All three tips have to do with pressing. For starters, while good pressing is vitally important, pressing the seams open instead of to one side will reduce bulk and produce flatter blocks.

If you prefer to press to the side, press those seams open that will produce bulky spots.

3 Tips for the Flattest Quilt Blocks

There are other benefits to pressing seams open, as well, which are covered in the following article from Craftsy.

Click here for the “Pressing Issues! How to Press Quilt Seams” article.

If you prefer nesting seams that are pressed to the side, another way to reduce bulk is to “pop” the seams in the center where several come together.

3 Tips for the Flattest Quilt Blocks

Carrie Nelson explains why and how in the following video. Not only will you have flatter blocks using her technique, but they’ll nest perfectly when it’s time to sew blocks together.

Click here to watch the video at YouTube if it doesn’t play on your device.

Finally, flatten the entire block during the final pressing using a great tip from Generations Quilt Patterns. It’s simple, easy and produces wonderful results.

Click here for the “The Best Darn Technique for Pressing Quilt Blocks” article.

Image Source: The photo at the top of the page is from Bee in My Bonnet. See more of this block with the seams pressed open here.

 

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