squaring a panel
 

I'm starting this lap quilt. https://www.equilter.com/pattern/725...utterfly-waltz It's my first use of a panel this way. I haven't made many quilts, but it looks like getting the panel exactly straight will help. I can tell that my panel wasn't cut exactly straight. It's off slightly. (The borders are assembled and then added to the panel.)

Do you just square up the corners and the sides like you do a quilt?

bkay

Depending on how wonky the panel is, I might add the first border and square that up.
Good Luck
Mike

The panels I've purchased recently have not needed squaring, but in the past when I bought some pillow panels that weren't square I was able to square them by washing the fabric and pressing it the shape I wanted. Fabric is wound on the bolt damp so if it gets slightly askew, it dries that way. Washing it will relax the fibers.
If that doesn't work, then try Mike's way. Put a frame around the panel that matches the outside border and square the 'new' block.

I think that I asked the wrong question. The panel is not very much out of square - Less than a half inch. However, it still has it's selvage. Also, it appears as if the middle of the panel is wider than the edges (selvage is still there). Should I trim the selvage and then square up to the way it falls? Or, do I square up to the selvage or leave the selvage and square it up the way it falls and trim up the middle?

I don't want to wash it. It's not that bad.

bkay

I would trim the selvage and then square up as it falls.

I agree with Chasezzz - definitely cut off the selvage and then square if you can.

I recently worked with a panel for a playmat for my Grandson and it was really very wonky! I washed it, tried starching and stretching, added a very narrow border to try to square it up but it still had a section that would "bubble" up a bit in the middle and would not lay flat. I added a few more borders as best I could to try to get it straight and then took it to a Long-armer to stretch it on her frame and quilt it. She said that she thought is was stretched when manufactured during the printing process. It was very frustrating but it all worked out in the end - looks ok and bubble gone! :)

Sew Very Easy has a video that gives hints, I think it's this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zupBTfTNZI8

I would take the squarest corner and tape it to a floor (or table if you have one big enough) Now take a spray bottle of water and lightly spray the panel. Then work your way around the perimeter, stretching or easing to make it as square as possible, taping as you go. Finally spray the whole thing again and leave to dry. Sometimes that is enough to get things back to where they should be.

The selvage edge is tight so when you cut it off the threads should relax a bit.

What a great question! I have yet to make a quilt using a panel, but it is on my to-do list for 2018. Some on the Board have advised adding a border and then squaring that, which kind of makes sense to me. However, I am wondering, does the quality of the fabric makes a difference? The reason I asked is that I've just finished a throw quilt top made up of five 10" X 44" strips (in part). The two outside strips and the center strip are from one print fabric and the two strips next to the outside strips are from another fabric. I cut these two strips from a vertically printed fabric, omitting part of the design -rather like creating a vertical panel. I was very concerned that these two strips would not be even (square, I guess). I need not have worried. The fabric was Timeless Treasures (which I had never used before -and, oh, it was lovely in design and quality). Anyway, just a thought... Does this even seem like a legitimate consideration when buying panels? If so, any recommendations as to brands?