? on cutting panels
 

I have a series of panels I need to cut apart. They're a little wonky on the grain of fabric. Do I cut these panels apart so the design is square or do I cut them so the 'fabric' is square? I hope that makes sense... Thanks in advance!

When I cut apart a wonky panel, I'm usually able to cut out the design. I will then pin a straight side to my ironing board and spray it good with starch and square it up while it's wet. I work my way around it while pinning it in shape and hit it with the iron. Works for me.

Yes, I have also had panels that are wonky and have cut them apart so that the design is square. If it is really out of square, (for a baby panel) I have taped it to my table, easing and stretching as necessary, and then wetted it down with a spray bottle, and let it dry. Usually it comes out square(ish).

It is so annoying after the price you pay for a panel and they are wonky. I always cut out the panel and try to square up. I wish that some manufacturers left larger spaces to cut in.

Thanks Ladies! I was hoping for this direction. These are going to be appx 7" squares. I appreciate the comments!

When fabric is printed, it is stretched on the rollers and frame. (Stretched taut). There is no way for it to be "perfect". I like the method mentioned above. Square it up after cutting. Its all illusion once it is assembled.

Sandy

So after you square it up and incorporate it into your quilt, do you have to quilt it heavily to keep it that way? Does it resume its original 'wonkiness' when you wash it?

Mine dont. They stay.

I agree. You would think if we can send a man to the moon, that they could print panels SQUARE. I had to add a small border to square these printed blocks to make a quilt.

Once the fabric is pieced into the quilt and quilted there is little stress on it to pull wonky again.

You can pull the panel close to square and even it it is still off a little, cut on the square you want to cut, not the fabric grain. Starch helps a lot to prevent fraying on wonky fabric.

When working with wonky panels, the tugging in opposite bias corners, back and forth a little at a time with firm but not aggressive pressure and stab pin it to an ironing surface, dampen with starch and press should hold the fabric in place as a preparation to cut it square. You have to make the fabric move to your will. It will go where you want it, if it is not overly wonky.

Anxious to see your project!
peace

I would probabyl cut the design square, starch, and block it so it is square

I've cut out many panels and haven't worried about it too much. Maybe I should! I've just added a stop border and it seems to make it look ok. I will watch more carefully in the future!

great advice from all of you... my project for this afternoon is to cut placemat panels that I purchased at a quilt show and haven't even layed them out yet to see if they are going to be square on the cutting mat.

I soak mine with heavy starch and block it first!

I have cut mine out with as much of a border as possible -- then add an additional border and then cut the block straight. No one seems to notice if the outer border is a bit uneven.

I had a laugh to read that "some" panels are not printed square. I have yet to find one that has been!

I use Sta-flo starch, 1/2 starch to 1/2 water, and dip the panel in that and let it drip (don't wring it out!). Then I block it, which is the same as others have been telling you: pulling and pinning it square and letting it dry.

It's not just the panels. There is a lot of "unsquare" fabric out there. I tried to make straight borders by ripping the fabric instead of cutting, on a fabric I thought I had squared. It's usually how I do it to get them straight. But trust me, even that doesn't always work. If you mess up your yardage making borders and they're wonky, it can get expensive!

I bought a fall harvest fabric at JAs and it was printed so crooked on the grain that I lost nearly 8" out of a yard to get the pumpkins to line up for an edge. Grrrr. On my next trip back they had a brand new bolt out and it was just as bad as the first.