newbie1001

Hi, I bought a couple of printed panels to make some quick wall hangings. Thought I would just have to cut and sew one or two borders and hangers and be done. Now it turns out that the panels are all printed crookedly, they are not square. However, if I want to trim it so it is square, I am cutting away from the printed stripes around the actual motif in an uneven way, meaning the printed borders/stripes that are part of the motif would get thinner or wider from top to bottom or left to right. I would end up having a square wall hanging, but the printed part within the borders that I sew on would be off. Do you understand what I mean? Would you try to wet block the panel to get it square? Other people must have run into this problem before me, or did I just happen to get the rare unsquare printed panel? Thanks!

reginalovesfabric

I buy a lot of panels and never had that problem

dunster

I think everyone who has used a panel has run into this problem. They are seldom printed square and often aren't even designed that way. I'm not sure that they're designed by anyone who has ever quilted before.

pocoellie

This is a problem with panels and the main reason I don't buy them. You are not the first one to experience the problem. I've had "some" success in straightening them by grabbing diagonal corners(the worst side) and "popping" it, probably wetting and pinning it to a straight piece would probably work also.

Peckish

I would try to block it by spritzing it with water, then pinning it into the shape you want it to dry in. Make sure your pins are rust-proof first, though.

Tartan

I try to buy panels that don't have stripes or borders because the panels are seldom printed straight. The printed borders always show where you have to square them up. I usually cut the borders off, if the printed border is wide enough, I cut it square and reattach it. If necessary I cut new borders from fabric that matches the panel.

katier825

Ditto! I have rarely had one that didn't need blocking. I've had them so bad that I had to cut with scissors rather than a rotary cutter. Blocking makes it so much easier to work with.

ckcowl

common (ailment) with panels, they are seldom straight. small-pillow panels may be but the larger the center-the more 'skewed' they tend to be. you can try to block them or you can simply cut off the outer 'frames' and square up the picture area before adding your own borders, or, you can 'fudge' the sizes of your added borders in small amounts so it is not really noticeable but one side may be 1/2" wider than other side-type of fix. I've done all of the above in the past- it does not stop me from picking up a panel I want- I just take a look at it & decide which method will be easiest, give me the best outcome- then go from there- seldom do I ever get to actually use what ever the 'frame' is- except I have cut the frames off before- then re-used them by cutting them straight & incorporating them back into the design after squaring up the center.

Jackie Spencer

Sometimes I see a panel I just love, so I buy it. what has almost always worked for me, is grabbing opposite corners and stretching, then ironing.

DogHouseMom

I had this problem with panels that I wanted to fracture. As I do all of my fabric ... I pre-washed the panels. I'm betting they were wonky before I started, but oh boy washing made them worse!!

I blocked them, but in the end I couldn't get the entire panel squared up and ended up cutting it down to a size that I could get blocked.

You can try blocking them, it did improve mine.