Quilting Tips: Nesting Seams

Hello Quilters!  Do you feel ‘lucky’ if you have nicely matched intersections? Luck is finding an empty parking spot in front of the store on a rainy day.  Perfect patchwork takes some practice, not luck, and you will get better with time. Matching intersections can be easier with these tips:

Matching or Nested Seams: To ensure that intersecting seams match, press seams in the opposite directions so they will ‘nest’ together.

When sewing two units together, “nest” them so that the seam allowance in the top pieces faces toward the needle.  By doing this, they will match easier and more evenly. It may be that the top fabric is pushed by the foot into the bottom seam, I’m not sure, but you’ll always see better matched seams. Still not sure?  Then match the intersection up, or sometimes we say nest, the pieces together, then peak in to see if they really are matched.

Now pin, just before and after, don’t pin in the intersection.  Let the pressed fabric and machine foot do it’s magic.

So that’s it –   Press. Peak. Pin. Perfection.