Panel not straight
 

I am working with my first panel. After washing it's very crooked. It's a rectangle panel and one lengthwise side is fairly straight, but the other side is very off. Is there a way to straighten it? I'm going to birth it.

Panels are notoriously crooked, and after washing even more so. You can try pulling on the fabric to straighten it a bit, but it probably won't be enough. Your best bet is to either cut it to size (if the design of the panel permits) and/or add fabric to frame it out to the correct rectangular size.

I learned never to wash a panel even the very expensive ones. The panel design is always distorted in some way. It helps to fuse a lightweight interfacing to the back if you plan to fussy cut it.

I recommend adding a plain border and squaring it off. That has worked for me before.

I love panels but have never found one that was straight. I always border mine to straighten them. Since I use them mostly in children's quilts, a little wonky is fun.

I quit buying panels because they are never straight. I would add a border to straighten it.

Try stretching it from corner to corner on the BIAS, both ways. I learned this in Homec in HS. It won't completely fix it but sometimes makes a good difference for me when working with panels.

Panels as Dunster mention are "notoriously crooked". You have carefully piece a border so that it becomes straight again. I had to add this tiny blue border to straighten these blocks and enlarge the size so that it would work with this single Irish Chain. After this experience, I try to avoid any panels.

After giving it a good stretch on the bias like jcrilley suggested, try blocking it--tape down the straightest side and then pull the other sides straight and square, taping as you go. Sometimes you have to dampen the cloth a little to make it stretch the way you want. When you are satisfied, wet the whole thing and leave it to dry. I have found that often helps.

Just a note: I have two Fantasia Tree of Life panels from Timeless Treasures and they are perfectly straight.

To straighten yours, dampen slightly and pull diagonally. Pin it to the carpet overnight if you have to.