Common quilting mistakes and how to fix them
Wavy borders, puckers on the back and shrinking surprises.
- Wavy borders: measure the quilt through the middle and both edges, average the three and cut borders to that length rather than sewing on strips and trimming.
- Puckers on the back: baste more closely, quilt from the centre out and use a walking foot.
- Stretched edges: press (lift and lower the iron) rather than ironing back and forth.
- Unexpected shrinkage: check whether your fabrics and wadding should be pre-washed.
- Small waves can often be quilted out; bigger ones mean unpicking and re-measuring the border.
Watch
🧵8 TIPS ON HOW TO PREVENT QUILTING MISTAKES ON YOUR DOMESTIC SEWING MACHINE (9:25)
By Just Get it Done Quilts · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 9-minute video from Just Get it Done Quilts on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
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All checked November 1, 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.