Well now I am proper cross!

I get it into my head that I am going to use plaids for a quilt. I found some beautiful ones, great price and lovely colours. Bought half the shop in these plaids.

I worked everything out and started to lay the fabric out to begin cutting. At first I thought my eyes were tired or I had a migrain. I put one aside and brought out another..........nope my eyes were still wonky. I put it all away and went downstairs to do something else and then returned to it. Everything is still wonky...........all of it! The ********* fabric is printed that way.

No wonder the price was good!

Now what to do? I can't take the fabric back, it was at a reduced price and therefore consumer rights are altered. I could claim it is not fit for purpose but thats not true. It is fabric, it can be used just maybe not as I was using it. The colours are just lovely, I could continue and hope the colours carry it.

whatcha think?

With off grain prints, especially plaids and stripes, the eye wants to follow the print. Wonky, will always look wonky. I hate when this happens, but I have had similar issues. Perhaps you can cut it in small enough pieces that the lines won't show??? I have never figured out what to do with this problem. Will be interested to see what others have to say!

Can you take a photo with some of it laid out? I'm a visual person and I've work with some seconds but i got to see it as they say. :)

The only thing I can think of is what we were taught back in Home Economics in school. We learned to square up fabric by pulling one thread out on the cross grain, tearing the fabric gives the same result but with a bit more of a tattered edge. Do this on both cut ends. Then we pulled the fabric on the diagonal (bias) to try and straighten the piece. What a pain in the butt. I'm glad I don't bother with that anymore, but it might work to straighten the plaid if it is woven wrong rather than printed wrong. I think if it's printed wrong you are stuck with wonky.

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Originally Posted by K. McEuen

The only thing I can think of is what we were taught back in Home Economics in school. We learned to square up fabric by pulling one thread out on the cross grain, tearing the fabric gives the same result but with a bit more of a tattered edge. Do this on both cut ends. Then we pulled the fabric on the diagonal (bias) to try and straighten the piece. What a pain in the butt. I'm glad I don't bother with that anymore, but it might work to straighten the plaid if it is woven wrong rather than printed wrong. I think if it's printed wrong you are stuck with wonky.

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Karen's right. You can pull a thread to find the grain and then stretch the fabric to get it to line up IF IT IS A WOVEN PLAID. If it is a printed plaid, there's not a thing you can do that I know of. If it is printed that way, I would go back to the store and tell them that it is not usable and you want your money back or an in-store credit whether if was bought at reduced price or not. If they want your business, they need to work with you. Hope you can get it resolved.

You could make wonky star quilts. I know, I know, I'm kidding! I think Bec is right, they should take it back, as they did not tell you it was that way. You are a lawyer, isn't there some kind of consumer protection law you could use if they give you a hard time of it? I'm so sorry, love, that was very unfair of them to do that to unsuspecting clients. I'll say a prayer for you to be treated fairly when you go back. Hugs, Jan L.

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Originally Posted by janluna

You could make wonky star quilts. I know, I know, I'm kidding! I think Bec is right, they should take it back, as they did not tell you it was that way. You are a lawyer, isn't there some kind of consumer protection law you could use if they give you a hard time of it? I'm so sorry, love, that was very unfair of them to do that to unsuspecting clients. I'll say a prayer for you to be treated fairly when you go back. Hugs, Jan L.

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Jan, I thought that was a rather good idea!!!!

I would not try to cut it straight, but do something that will be off center. Even blocks cut this way would be interesting. Maybe you could use the fabric as a backing?

I was thinking of something purely wonky. Even using it for a crazy quilt. Not knowing exactly what you had planned or seeing a picture (I'm like Ruby - sometimes I think with my eyes). I would bet that what you have is printed, not woven and like everyone said - not much can be done. So, make a couple lap quilts for charity, wrap someone's birthday present in it, ship it off to an unsuspecting friend, cut it into strips and use it to tie up climbing plants, make pajama bottoms for all your friends.

I absolutely get so angry when I wind up with something like that - but I'm more angry at myself for thinking I got a good deal when I didn't take the time to thoroughly inspect and think through my purchase. In other words, I'm sort of an opportunist shopper and quite often goof it up . . .

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Originally Posted by janluna

You could make wonky star quilts. I know, I know, I'm kidding! I think Bec is right, they should take it back, as they did not tell you it was that way. You are a lawyer, isn't there some kind of consumer protection law you could use if they give you a hard time of it? I'm so sorry, love, that was very unfair of them to do that to unsuspecting clients. I'll say a prayer for you to be treated fairly when you go back. Hugs, Jan L.

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It is because I am a lawyer than I know that my consumer rights do not cover me in this case. Its also not the shop's fault really, the fabric is woven and is freedom fabric. I suspect that because it is meant to be rustic that it is meant to be that way. I bought fat quarter packs, all rolled up hence I didnt notice. Ah well, theres some ripping in my near furture

I like the wonky stars idea too. Any kind of wonky block might do okay with it. Try to wash it and block the fabric. Let it dry on a towel.

If it's printed on you can't always straighten by pulling a thread, etc. When that happens to me I cut following the printed design rather than the straight grain. That usually means cutting in a single layer, sometimes one piece at a time so it takes more time but having the pattern run all wonky really bothers me.

I am thinking crazy quilt...
and then I am thinking a charity donation to local hospital with a tax ID number so you can write it off as a tax deduction!

Send it my way, Jean! I'm picturing one of those wonky house quilts made in wonky plaids! Better yet! You make a wonky house quilt and post it so I can see my idea in living color! Hahaha! Did you buy it in yardage or precuts? If it's yardage can't you cut it so it's not wonky? I would definitely talk to the store about it. They may surprise you and take it back. In a perfect world the fabric should've been marked "flawed" or "seconds." Like I said, "In a perfect world...."