Cheshirepat

So, a bit ago (like a year, but this is my typical 'storage/ferment' new fabric habit!) I picked up a panel and some coordinates in this pattern by Maywood Studio called Halloweenie -
https://d1nvdmt0osh3cv.cloudfront.ne.../MAS8636-Z.jpg

So, I thought it would be fun to fit them into the center of some different 'star' block patterns like the Ohio and Missouri, and make a 'simple table runner'. I get the quilting rulers out to see how large a center it's going to be, and *it's not a square*. Like, there's a good 1/4 to 3/8" difference in one direction of the little panels than the other, making them actually more of a rectangle than square. I mean, I could cut _all_ the borders off, but then, what fun is the little panel? I seem to lose all luck when I buy cute novelty panels with squares in them. The total size of each square (before the tan fabric in between them) depending on the side - 6 3/4" -7".

Am I being thick-headed and stubborn and not seeing an obvious solution? Do I give up on the star pattern? Do I just cut it square and cut off some of one side of the panel? That idea kind of gets me in the OCD, lol.

For this weekend I gave up and put binding on another UFO. I'd love any/all of your suggestions!

juliasb

I so understand this delima! I have one of bunnies that is staring at me as I am typing. Like you I tend to OCD about it. Maybe you want to trim them down and add a boarder to it. Trim it up to the size of the star block you decide to do. The halloween blocks will then fit nicely as a square to the next square star. At this time of the year you should be able to match the colors in you panels to an added boarder. Best of luck.

toverly

I would still make the star but fit the point's to each side. Yes the star would be taller than wide but it would still be a star. Cute panel.

Cheshirepat

True, I do have enough of the coordinating fabrics I could do this... I'm just trying to decide *how* much it bothers me as is! Thank you for the sympathy!

Cheshirepat

Ha! You have a point... (pun intended) I guess I could do the math and wing it that way. Not sure my EQ8 skills are up to the chore, but I might poke at it this way too. Either way would be a challenge to 'figger', which might be a good thing.

feline fanatic

Each panel "square" gives you a lot of wiggle room that won't be perceived despite your OCD tendencies. To prove my point, when you bought it you thought they were squares. I would pick a center size that captures the center square and the first accent border. The solid colored outer borders ( the orange around the witch, the black around the bats, the green around the cats, etc) is where you can square them up. If the smallest size side of all of them is 6 3/4" I would cut them all at 6 1/2" square, ensuring when I cut the square the picture was centered.

Toverly also offers an excellent suggestion and you can even make them wonky stars (different size points) to further distract that they are not square, which adds to the whimsy of Halloween.

bearisgray

I would wash and dry these panels before cutting them

Then, after ironing/ pressing them from the back, you can better see just what you have to work with.

Iceblossom

I recently used a panel in the back of a quilt, it was so skewed off in so many ways it was to my comfort level unusable.

But like Feline pointed out, I thought they were square when I bought it. I tugged, I blocked, I did everything I could. Finally I used one set of lines as "straight" and was all over the place when I made it with right angles/straight grain.

jclinganrey

I agree with Feline. 'Make' them square using the border colors.

oksewglad

I work with a lot of panels at the LQS for shop samples...some are small squares, others 2/3 yard cuts. My current project is a 1 1/4 yd cut. We do not wash and dry panels. Like feline says, find the design center and cut as she suggested. I do this all the time. Often times narrow borders known as coping strips, are added to the preprint and then cut to an overall uniform size. Not too long ago I had a flannel panel that was "not square". I followed the instructions on the pattern using the coping strips and trimmed to the specified measurement and finished piecing the borders. When all quilted and bound, all was fine.