I don't know it this will help or not.....I was taught to always measure from the center of the quilt....side to side.....don't stretch any just leave it as it lays.....that is the true length or wideth.....I always mark my centers on my strip and on my quilt on both sides with a little nip in the fabric....as Patrice said....I pin top and bottom and center....and what I call fudging the matieral in or pull......this is how I was taught.....It is suppuse to square your quilt......so both sides should be the same length and both ends need to be remeasured from the center and both of them should be the same......I also iron everything to get an exact measurement.....Good luck...