I don't know about you, but ironing is one of my least favorite chores. Give me a wrinkled shirt any day and I will hang it in the bathroom while I shower and throw it on, confident that any remaining wrinkles will "work themselves out". It seems like such a tedious waste of time and effort.
So when Sandra at the Quilting Frame would casually state "press the fabric, then..." during a description of a block making procedure, I would simply filter out the line. Who would want to spoil a perfectly wonderful hobby with ironing!?!
BUT, I have learned to admit when I am wrong, and ironing (or "pressing" as Sandra and my grandmother would say) has officially entered my quilting vocabulary. It started after a recent chat at the Quilting Frame. I was watching Sandra put some blocks together and saw her ironing out the seams before moving on to the next step. It made the blocks so much easier to work with...no errant pleats jumping up, or seams pushing this way and that behind the fabric. Just full compliance with fabric manipulation. Very nice! and the finished block also had a very flat and controlled look to it.
Now I am not obsessed with this sort of control when sewing, but part of the point of quilting is creating a neat and orderly space, so the ironing just sort of makes sense as part of the process. This is especially true when it comes to the string quilt blocks I have been working on lately. In the case of these blocks it is very hard to make them neat and straight without ironing. The ironing smooths the fabric so that it does not bubble up. That is, the two sides you are sewing together lay flush with each other. It is really beautiful when done correctly and a disaster when done wrong.
So, as a part of my hobby I will be ironing more now. Maybe I will even throw a shirt or pair of pants in with my quilt blocks every now and again. So if I am looking a little better lately, you know why. It is all thanks to quilting. Do you think that is a good enough reason for my husband to let me go buy some more fabric?
1 comment:
Is this what you might call a New Year's Quilt Resolution?
Yesterday I was looking for my iron and realized that I hadn't seen it since before Christmas.
But, I think you are right about this. It is one of those principles like the one that is embroidered on one of my quilts, "Measure twice, cut once." Another good idea.
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