Advice please!
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 457
I would wash and dry the panel before doing anything else. Because the fabrics are rolled mechanically after printing, the cotton warp and weft can be distorted post-printing.
If the panel is still warped, you can try a gentle squaring up as in this video, which someone else posted too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGE2B5jcsms
I would be less worried about being exactly on the straight of grain, but try a good machine wash and hot dry first.
If the panel is still warped, you can try a gentle squaring up as in this video, which someone else posted too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGE2B5jcsms
I would be less worried about being exactly on the straight of grain, but try a good machine wash and hot dry first.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 457
And fwiw whoever quilts your quilt will be grateful if you put on the borders such that they do not ruffle. I made tops for years putting my borders on wrong, now I use the method detailed in the video below and it has made ALL the difference!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paIq..._lggw&index=17
#14
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,540
I went to a quilt shop meeting thing that had a fabric rep talk to us about fabric. She said if a panel was off grain or out of square to stretch it. It get skewed when wrapped on the bolt, it winds tightly. A gentle tug as many as it takes will get it back on grain and square. So far it has worked for me on all the panels that are wonky.
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Anchorage, AK
Posts: 1,398
I agree with quilted sunshine - I've successfully added wide sashing then squared it up so I made the panel sit at an angle in the final product - make the sashing wide enough to accommodate the larger size angles so the tilt of the panel looks planned and not poorly made.
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Keller, TX
Posts: 1,947
When starting a project in garment sewing and sometimes with a quilt project, I was taught to find the true "grains" by lining up your selvage, smoothing out your fabric. If it is wonky, have someone grab one end of the panel to see what corners need to be pulled. Then have the other person grab that corner of the panel, you grab the diagonal corner and pull.,this will stretch the panel, so the sides line up.,if it it doesn't,,stretch it again. This works when the fabric has been tightly wound crooked on the bolt. If the panel is printed crooked on the fabric you cannot fix a misprint. Best wishes for a good outcome.
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,895
Laura at Sew Very Easy did this crooked panel a few years ago. I had/have (who knows where?) the same panel and watched her fix it a different way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zupBTfTNZI8
bkay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zupBTfTNZI8
bkay
#18
Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 55
This problem I had quite a few years ago, was not a panel, but a long piece of fabric. It was a 9 yard piece. It had been folded like a sheet (not selvage to selvage) for a long time. It was given to me from my neighbor whose wife, and my quilting friend, had passed away. I could not fold it correctly with the selvages together. It was all wonky. I had almost given up on it but did not want to waste all of that quality fabric. My solution was to start on one end and spray mist that section and smooth the fabric out with both hands. I did that for the whole length of fabric, one section at a time. I felt like it was a miracle! it relaxed the fibers back to normal and the fabric laid out smoothly. I hope this will help someone else with a similar problem.
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,845
Panels that are printed off-grain are the most difficult to use. On the bolt, the problem wasn’t evident. After hot wash/dry, they’re even more crooked. The video by Laura would be a method to use if only slightly off-straigh.
what solutions have you found?
Are some companies better/worse at printing straight on grain?
what solutions have you found?
Are some companies better/worse at printing straight on grain?
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,592
The video tallchick provided is a great explanation of how best to get fabric square once again. The only thing I do differently is, if it's too much for me to handle stretching corner to corner myself, is to have someone else hold the opposite corner. I do this with yardage, not necessarily panels, that are off grain.