PiedPiper

I haven't really worked with panels before, but a nice one caught my son's eye, and I want to make a wall hanging for him. The question I have is about how best to square it up. It's cut very accurately along the marked cut lines from selvedge to selvedge, down the sides of the design, but it's anything but square with those selvedges. So it looks more like a rhombus than a regular rectangle, if that makes sense.

I'm not sure how to handle this. I *really* don't want to cut anything off the sides in order to make them square with the selvedges (losing design, and making it way skinny), nor do I want it to have an obvious "ring" in it when it's hanging. Should I instead cut the selvedges "crooked" but making them square with the cut sides of the design? So that at least I will have a regular rectangle, but it won't be along the straight of grain at all.

Or I suppose I could just buy 2 iterations of the panel and cut it how I want, but I really don't want to have to spend the extra $$.

I hope this makes sense! Any tips would be greatly appreciated - or even reassurance that it's okay to not have the rectangle coinciding with the grain!


​​​​​​Thanks in advance!!

quiltingshorttimer

do you know the method of taking the 2 opposing corners (top/bottom opposite ends) and pulling it into straight? That sometimes helps it quite a bit.

nativetexan

depending on how crooked it is, you might have to go with it. meaning making borders or inner borders that are crooked too on purpose. go with the flow. Good luck.

quiltedsunshine

I've had pretty good luck with pressing them to the shape I want.

If you need to, cut into the design a little -- just so the printed borders don't show.

Barb in Louisiana

I wouldn't cut off the design. If anything, I might try pulling and ironing it to get it as straight as possible, then just square it up with the printed panel on the fabric. You might have to add an extra border. Do make sure you quilt fairly closely so that the center of your wall hanging doesn't sag. If you could post a picture of the panel, we might come up with better ideas.

Tartan

Panels are rarely square in my opinion. Do the best you can without cutting away the design. You can sometimes mist them and block them square but I haven’t had much luck doing it.

tallchick

I found this interesting and helpful

https://youtu.be/ZGE2B5jcsms

BonnieJP

Thanks for the link, Lisa. That YouTube had some very good tips.

PiedPiper

Thank you so much for this video!! I did what she suggested and it worked beautifully! I'm so grateful!

ckcowl

Salvages are often ( skewed) I always cut off the salvaged and square my panels that way. I’ve used many panels over the years they are a great starting point for many quilts