laurilli

Hi all, I have a question about fabric panels. I don't normally buy them for this reason- How do you straighten them up? This one is a Henry Glass print. called Dockside. It has an adirondack chair out on a deck and what looks like a mat and a wood frame around it. It is off by about 1&1/2 inches from top to bottom on one side. Any ideas what I can do with this? Thanks

toverly

I don't purchase many panels either. Once I cut excess off the edges (still crooked). I choose a busy fabric to border around all sides and square that up. The business of the fabric doesn't make the crookedness obvious. But at least then, there is an even piece to start.

dunster

You can gently try to straighten the panel out. If that doesn't work you can either trim it to be rectangular (eliminating the white and brown frames) or make an attic windows quilt out of it. If it came from a local shop or from a site like amazon with a liberal return policy you might be able to return it.

tallchick

A great demo for panels

https://youtu.be/ZGE2B5jcsms?si=_p3X25EvIwb11FLD

QuiltE

What I have done (but not with such a "huge" off), is spray the panel with water.
Then stretch gently on my design wall, holding in place with pins.
If not too far off, will do the same, but press it dry without the pins.
Also, might trim some off to square it up manually.

Then as I add the border(s), I make sure it is squared and trimmed, at every step.

With it being 1-1/2" off, I'd be dubious that you could get it fully squared, as is.
Probably, I'd square as best I could (as above).
Then would sacrifice some of the panel, to get it squared up before I start adding any borders.

Good Luck!

GingerK

I do something similar to QuiltE, but I start with masking tape and a surface large enough to accommodate the whole panel. I tape down one selvedge edge. I then gently align a second side and tape down. Don't worry if that leaves everything else wonky. Then I dampen the panel. Using my rulers (often most of them) I align the third side. Before taping it down, I measure diagonally from top left to bottom right and vice versa. If those two measurements are the same, then the panel is 'squared up'. I then tape down the last two sides and leave the thing to dry.

laurilli

Thanks everyone. I stretched and maneuvered and ironed and trimmed and got it to work. I think I remembered why I quit buying panels. I think I will stay away from them again. Thanks again, you helpful people on this board are the best!!!

sewbizgirl

Panels are awesome. I straighten out the tilted ones by pulling opposite corners, stretching the piece back into shape. Then I might press it to hold the shape.

Mkotch

A friend showed me a lovely quilt she made by buying 7 of the same panel. She saved one and used the other six to make a stack n whack style hexagon border using 60-degree triangles around it. The end result was amazing and something I'd like to try if I can find a panel I like enough to buy 7 of.

aashley333

I tried that with 9 panels! Used 8 for front and one on back.Lake and Sea Panels Will do again.