Thread: My fabric is about to pucker - what to do?

I've obviously been handling my daughter's quilt too much, pushing and pulling it through the throat of my domestic sewing machine.
As I started it several years ago (I know!), I didn't leave pins in it but have now found that the final block in the middle of the quilt has stretched a bit. I am in danger of quilting in some puckers unless I find a way to 'shrink' the fabric a bit. It measures about 15½” x 12”.
As it was a kit, I didn't wash the fabric so this might work to my advantage ... ? My quilt pattern is 'only' straight lines so, once I get the extra fabric out of the way, I can race to the finish! It says here.

Try starching and steaming. That usually gets some excess fabric to draw up.

Yep, I think starch an steam would do it. Lay it out on the carpet where you can steam over a large section without having to move it on the iron board.

I just saw an article today on FB about this same problem. She spritzed the area, then dried with hot hairdryer.

​I believe Sharon Schamber has a video on shrinking a block using steam from her iron?