A Panel Problem

Now that the first stage of the new book is wrapped up, I've turned my thoughts and quilting in a new direction -- working on a sample for our 2016 Saturday quilt group.  Each year we tackle a different project, often some type of sampler.  Mary Lee, my co-leader, came up with a brilliant idea to combine the block book from 2015 (this year) with a quilt pattern called Starlight.

So I started working on my center panel.  Starlight is a great pattern because you can use pretty much any vertical panel -- you just need to add borders around until you get to the right dimensions which are listed in the pattern.  First, I trimmed up my panel to get ready for the first border which I decided to do little pieced squares using all of the fabrics from what I am using for my blocks.  Yes, I had to actually do the math, but I did survive.  I got the border mostly on when I discovered THE PROBLEM.

The panel was not printed straight so now my quilt center is slightly skewed.  UGH!  I've already invested enough time and energy in this project that I don't want to change midstream.  I thought that by carefully adding the remaining borders that I could correct the skew.  Although it was definitely better by the time I finished the borders around the panel, it still isn't perfect.

See what happens when I match up the top and bottom edges of the quilt?  See the big wrinkle?

Now see what happens when I straighten the quilt through the center......the edges don't meet.

With my breath held and fingers crossed, I am going to go ahead with the project as is.  Hopefully by the time I get to the outer edge, things will have straightened out.  I am counting on the forgivability that 100% cotton fabric possesses. Then with a little luck, I will be able to quilt out any remaining distortion.

Maybe the quilt will turn out just fine.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.