Question: Why are some seams pressed open and some pressed to one side?
Pressing is an important part of sewing to obtain professional looking results. So when a viewer asks, "Why are some seams pressed open and some pressed to one side?" it's a question that deserves an answer to help understand why some seams are pressed open and some are pressed to one side.
Answer: As you follow sewing directions the directions will tell you to press open a seam or to press the seam to one side or the other. The main difference is in how the finished seam will lay and the visual impact it will have on the outside of the item.
Lets look at pressed open seams first. A seam that is pressed open is one that is first pressed as it was sewn and then the seam allowances are pressed open so that a seam allowance is on each side of the seam. You'll usually find "press open" as a directive on straight or flat area type seams. Examples would be shoulder seams, side seams, pant leg seams and sleeve seams. These are all seams that are going to end up as a flat area of a garment. By pressing them open they will help the seam blend into the garment and allow the seam area of the garment to remain flat.
On a pressed open seam, a seam finish is applied to each seam allowance separately. This allows the seam allowance bulk to be distributed to two sides rather than a single side.
A seam that is pressed to one side is most commonly one which two areas have been "eased" together and are a transitional area of a garment. Let's think about a set in sleeve as an example of where a seam is pressed to one side. The sleeve area was a curve before you eased it in to fit the relatively straight area of the body of the garment. If you attempted to press the seam open, the sleeve side of the seam would almost ruffle toward the sleeve and the body of the garment seam allowance would lay flat. Rather than fight the sleeve side of the seam allowance, you end up with a smoother finished seam by pressing them both in one direction and applying a seam finish to both seam allowances at the same time.
Have a sewing question? Email your question to Debbie and it may be featured on this site as a FAQ.
More Information on Seams and Pressing
Lets look at pressed open seams first. A seam that is pressed open is one that is first pressed as it was sewn and then the seam allowances are pressed open so that a seam allowance is on each side of the seam. You'll usually find "press open" as a directive on straight or flat area type seams. Examples would be shoulder seams, side seams, pant leg seams and sleeve seams. These are all seams that are going to end up as a flat area of a garment. By pressing them open they will help the seam blend into the garment and allow the seam area of the garment to remain flat.
On a pressed open seam, a seam finish is applied to each seam allowance separately. This allows the seam allowance bulk to be distributed to two sides rather than a single side.
A seam that is pressed to one side is most commonly one which two areas have been "eased" together and are a transitional area of a garment. Let's think about a set in sleeve as an example of where a seam is pressed to one side. The sleeve area was a curve before you eased it in to fit the relatively straight area of the body of the garment. If you attempted to press the seam open, the sleeve side of the seam would almost ruffle toward the sleeve and the body of the garment seam allowance would lay flat. Rather than fight the sleeve side of the seam allowance, you end up with a smoother finished seam by pressing them both in one direction and applying a seam finish to both seam allowances at the same time.
Have a sewing question? Email your question to Debbie and it may be featured on this site as a FAQ.
More Information on Seams and Pressing
