My buddy's shop had the same issue, they always work from the face too.

Cole549 is right that grain matters, but sometimes the fabric itself is the problem. Cheap silk charmeuse often has a wonky weave that fights you no matter how perfect your cut is. I've had pieces from the same bolt behave totally different, one hanging fine and the other twisting like a corkscrew. Letting it hang is the only fix when the material is just off.

That water based stuff can be tricky on softwoods like pine. It dries too fast and traps moisture from the wood underneath, which causes those bubbles. Your buddy is right about an oil based sealer. It soaks in deeper and slows the whole process down, letting the wood gases escape without messing up the top coat. The can might say it's fine, but pine is full of sap and moisture that needs a different approach. Seen it bubble up like that a dozen times.