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.

I have learned to check the grain lines (the way the threads are laying) before buying a panel print.

If it is printed off-grain - it is printed off-grain. You can stretch it and pull it and stand on your head - it will still be printed off-grain.

I would attempt to trim it -on grain - if the design permits that - and go from there.

I have learned to check to see if the panel if printed on-grain before buying it.

If the design is printed off-grain - you can stretch the fabric, pull on it, block it - stand on your head - the design will still be printed off-grain.

You basically have two choices when attempting to work with a panel that is printed off-grain -

1) keep the grain lines perpendicular and do something with the design - trim it, sash it, whatever

2) get the design "right" - and live with off-grain fabric that will revert to it's "normal" unless stabilized some way.

Some spray starch and pressing may help straighten your panel. All of them crooked.

Most panels are not printed on the straight of grain.

I never prewash fabrics. I use spray sizing and a steam iron. I could not get the panel straight. I used a square in the
corners and straightened it best I could. First I trimmed off some of their borders that came on the panel. I then started to add my own [ATTACH=CONFIG]526382[/ATTACH]border strips. After each set of borders I would again use a square and trimmed. At the end the panel was still not perfect but much better than when I started.

I dampen the panels a lot, very wet, then I stretch and pull them and pin them down onto a canvas. The ones you can buy at any craft store for framing a picture. Let it dry this way and you should be good to go.