Help, How do I fix this?
 

I am making a little baby quilt using 5 inch square and setting them on point. I used the method by MSQC, in her tutorial, Charms on Point. it makes a easy way to set the 5 inch blocks on point, or she said any sized block, I thought it would be easy till I tried to put the borders on, they are wavey...Is there some way to fix this and have everything laying flate. I did allready take off the one blue border, will I have to take off all the borders and start over putting the borders on.. and how do I make the top flate if it isn't?

Thanks so much, I was never good at making a quilt set on point, haha..

Did you measure the middle of the quilt rather than the edge of the quilt for your border length? You need to do that and then ease in any extra fullness so it will pull those ends in. You probably have bias cuts that are causing the problem.

There is most likely stretch from the HST. Did you square up the quilt before adding borders? I stay stitch borders and press again. Then use pins to keep the quit and border together at matched markings.

Thanks eveyone I guess I'll take the borders off and state from the brginning. I will try and do what you all said and hope it comes out better..I thought this was going to be a fun and easy quilt..haha not really. Thanks

But it is a beautiful fun bright happy quilt and I'm sure the recipient will love it.

I've had this problem, too.

Things that have worked for me:

1) check your border seams to make sure that they are not slightly puckered. Puckering adds fullness to the edge of the border (like a ruffle), thus producing wavy borders. This kind of puckering is caused by the thread tension being too tight.

2) Suggestions to square the quilt before adding border are good. Of course, now that means taking the borders off and then squaring the quilt. If you do that, I will suggest that you:

A) spray the quilt top with water, put it in a lingerie bag and toss it into the dryer to return all blocks to their original shape. I think you will have to do this because it looks like some of the squares are stretched.

B) Do the same with the border strips you have sewn on.

C) If you want to press the quilt top and the border strips after taking them out of the dryer, make sure you PRESS, not iron. Ironing will stretch the bias. Many quilters use starch to stiffen the fabric and make it less stretchy. I can't do that because it sets off my allergies, but, based on who coached me through it and seeing their quilts, it works.

D) Measure the quilt 3 times horizontally and vertically. Horizontal measure top, middle, bottom. Vertical, do the same, the left, middle, right. Calculate the average of horizontal, calculate the average of vertical measurements. Cut your borders the average length of horizontal and vertical.

E) Pin the left and right borders on. Start sewing from the center of the border to one end. Then go to the center start point and sew to the other end. Make sure not to PRESS the seams.

F) Pin the top and bottom borders on. Again, start sewing at the center of the border and sew to one end, then return to the center and sew to the other end of the border.

G) repeat number 2 for each border.

I sincerely hope this helps. It seems like a lot to do, and it is, but it gets to be a habit and part of the process over time.

Good advice given. Something to add... The problem with this pattern and a lot of MSQC patterns is the bias, either on the edge or with blocks and units. I recently worked on a quilt for a friend made by this same pattern. I very carefully trimmed away the edges of the blocks and then stay stay stitched all around the perimeter of the quilt before I quilted it. She did not use borders but the same thing can be done before attaching borders.

Cute Quilt!

I always use one measurement down the middle then cut my borders to match that. I agree with pewa88 that stay stitching will help stabilize that bias edge. I would lessen the tension just a bit when you do that. Then, you can use the stay stitching in the same way you use a gathering stitch to help ease in the stretched edge (not so much that it gathers however) .

That sure is pretty!
You've received lots of good ideas from the others.

I love this pattern for quick and easy baby quilts but you do have to be very careful about the bias edges.

Instead of using a measuring tape, I use the border to measure the center of the quilt. I use pins to mark the outer quilt edges. Then I move the border to the outer edge and ease in the quilt between the pins. Hope this makes sense.

Oh Thank you cathyvv, I printed this off so I can go back and read it again, thank you so much...

Thanks everyone for your great advice, i took all the borders off.I think I will do what cathyvv said and spray it and putit in a lingereri bag and put it in the dryer. I must have ironed the block and stretched them out of shape...I hope i can get them back to the way they were.. I thought this would be a easy quilt but not so much now..

One important thing about Cathyvv's post. When you sew on the vertical borders, the horizontal borders are now wider by twice the width, minus two seam allowances, of those borders. You need to add that on before you cut those second two borders. Or measure and sew on the first two borders and then measure for the second set after the first side is on.

Thanks CathyVV, I too copied those hints. I have a lap quilt I gave up on, as I couldn't get the ruffles out of the border. (It wasn't bias, either.)

bkay

I just noticed an incorrect point in 2) C. It should read make sure not to Iron the seams. Press them.

Maviskw, You're right! I agree with you, but think the point is that whether you do the vertical or horizontal borders first, you have to add the width of the border to the remaining two borders when measuring.

So, if the vertical borders go on first, then the horizontal width of the quilt must be measured after the vertical borders are on.

If the horizontal borders are put on the quilt first, then the vertical width of the quilt must be measured after the horizontal borders are on.

It took me quite a while (and several sessions with a seam ripper) to figure out what caused the wavy/ripply problem on one of my quilts. So now I always check the tension IMMEDIATELY after sewing the first half of the first border I put on a quilt.

Those bias edges from the 1/2 squares stretched.Just top stitch 1/8" away from edge using a fairly long stitch length ( 3.5 will do) . Then use a pin, lift bobbin thread and to pull a bit of fullness out of each triangle. A bit of work but saves grief. When there are much smaller triangles, jut tighten the machine's upper tension ( quite a lot, like a whole #), and stitch that 1/8" edge stitching. Works for me!

I saved this thread so I can refer back to it IF I ever have this problem. Thanks Quilters!
I love your bright colors and I'm sure the baby will too. It really will turn out fine, it's so cheery.