dunster

This might not work, but could you add a solid scalloped border around the striped border? The wavy lines of the scallops might make it harder to see that the striped border is not perfectly square? I agree with ckcowl's description of the longarming process, except that many longarmers float the top completely, not attaching it to any rollers. Another factor is that the quilted portion of the quilt is always a little smaller than the nonquilted portion, so keeping the lines straight is difficult. I struggle with keeping my quilts square and still have a lot to learn in that area. Renae Haddadin teaches a longarm class called "Hip to be Square" that I would like to take, and other professional longarmers have their own videos/methods/classes. In hindsight, since your outside border was striped, I wonder if would have helped to attach a temporary border, maybe muslin, around the quilt before giving it to the longarmer, with instructions that the muslin should not be quilted but was only there to give additional stability to the stripes, which did need to be aligned. It's just a thought, not sure that it would have made a difference in this case.

Prism99

I think this happens when there is not enough side tensioning on the quilt. I have a frame and am still struggling with getting the side tensioning right so it does not interfere with my quilting. The quilts I have done without side tensioning all have the problem you describe (except it is not so noticeable because the borders aren't directional). Ideally I need to measure the quilt's width throughout the process so that the middle of the quilt is stretched as much as the bottom/top (which are attached to the rollers).

quilttiger

Is it possible to do some easing along the outside edges, especially around the corners, before applying the binding? Hard to tell without seeing the quilt, but this is something you can consider. Good luck!

FLQ

I learned from some quilt blogs by rofessional quilters that they "block" all their quilts after quilting. I don't know how out of square your quilt is but maybe this technique would help. I think you can find many descriptions of how to block a quilt (kind of like blocking a sweater after washing). I hope you find a successful solution.

GreyQ

Blocking your quilt could fix this. There are several good youtubes on blocking a quilt. Many high end longarm quilters recommend blocking before you bind the quilt to make it perfectly square.

maviskw

I almost always give a little tug on my binding as I put it on. That asures that it is not going to be wavy. Never had a wavy binding. Maybe tug just a little harder on those corners. Might fix it.

Also, blocking it as others have suggested might work, too.

Pam H

I have been amazed many times with what Mary Ellen's Best Press and a hot steam iron can do to tighten up ripples after quilting. You might want to give it a try.

Skittl1321

This doesn't really help fix the problem, but one thing I learned is to always make my outside border wider than I want it to be on the finished quilt.

Then, after quilting, I cut the border to the size I want it to be. That way it will be square and correct.

Quilting can really distort fabric.

MarleneC

Since you've posted this on this board and been pretty descriptive of the problem your friend the longarm quilter has probably figured it out.

Dodie

that is one of the reason I took classes on quilting on my DSM the large ones I do in sections and if there is a mess up it was by me not by someone that I paid lots of $$$ to the last one I sent out I had to rip out a lot then try to redo no fun good luck and hope it works for you