callie8799

I made a 45" square out of friends' softball t-shirts. I will like to take the remnants and cut diamonds out to place around the 45" square as a border. Actually, I am going to put a 1" border (solid color) around the tshirt square then put the diamond border - so the diamond border will surround a 46" square.

Question: How can I figure out how much fabric I need? I do not know if I will have enough tshirt material left to do this so I thought if I can find out the measurements, I can see if I have enough. Usually, I would just cut the fabric up and see that way, but there has to be some mathematical equation. I don't have a diamond size in mind, the blocks that make up the 45" square are 10". I'm thinking the diamonds ought to be small for not to overpower the tshirt square.

thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Deb

nanibi

I think you need to know what you want, first; then you can revise as your fabric requires. When you say "diamonds," do you meant squares on point (like a baseball diamond)? That will be pretty simple to calculate, and to adjust to your 46" square. Tell us more specifically, maybe sketch it; someone will be able to help.

Nancy

GingerK

Just a quick point before you start any calculations, if you put a 1 inch border around your 45 inch square, you will have a 47 inch square not 46. Now, 47 is not easily divided. But if you widened that border just a bit, so that you would have 48 inches, it could be easily divided by 4,6 or 8.

callie8799

Nanibi and GingerK- thank you! I do realize, now after some sleep,that I was quite vague. My apologies...
I am looking for diamonds to mimic the baseball diamond and duh, I was only calculating 1" on one side so I will add a 1.5" border. Voila! the calculation now seems easier for me...

amazing what sleep can do... thank you for clarifying points that my tired brain could not see!

Hope you will have a good day!
DEb

Girlfriend

Can't wait to see a picture posted of your finished quilt!!

charsuewilson

Don't forget to include your seam allowances in your calculations.

Peckish

I made a similar quilt - square blocks in the center with blocks on point in a border. The easiest way I found to do it was to make the center section, make the on-point border section, then add "filler" borders to fit.