marcycn

Help! I have a beautiful panel that isn't straight up and down. It bows at the top and bottom. Is there a way to correct that or do I have to force it to be straight by cutting off some of the beautiful borders?

lynnie

Have you tried tugging it on the bias to get it back to straight again? That may be your problem. tug on opposite corners diagonally.

marcycn

I went in there an tugged on it every which way I could and it's still the same. I think it was printed crooked. :-( Thanks for trying.

bearisgray

Turn it over and look at how it's printed. Does the print follow the threads like it should?

If it's printed crooked - I would wash and dry it - see how it wants to go - and then if it is crooked, trim it as well as I could and deal with it that way.

If it is printed crooked - you have two choices:

Work with it the way it is - everything will be off-grain
Trim it so that the edges are on-grain - you will probably lose part of the panel - some people reframe it with washings and make it look like it was intentional.

Dolphyngyrl

can you block it

#1piecemaker

I'd stretch it however it needs to go and quilt. It should be alright.

bearisgray

If it is printed crooked - blocking might straighten the grain - but it will still be printed crooked.

sval

Every panel I've ever been given or bought has been crooked.
Never buy them any more cuz of that.

marcycn

Turned it over and the grain doesn't go with the printing. I'll try washing it. :-) It's a Wilmington print. I have a Robert Kaufman panel and it's fine.

Tartan

Pre-printed panels are always off in my opinion. I try to buy ones without borders so it isn't as noticable. Cut off your borders, add a co-ordinating coloured fabric small border then cut up the border fabric and add it as the last border in pieced blocks.