Lesson 11 â Math for Quilt Sashings and Borders
Lesson 11 – Math for Quilt Sashings and Borders Calculating Yardage for Sa shings 1.
Calculate how many lengths of the size of your blocks in your quilt can be cut from 42" wide fabric. If your blocks are 12 ½”, you would divide 42 / 12.5 which is 3.36. ALWAYS round down when figuring out how many pieces you can cut from a width of fabric. You can get 3 pieces from a width of fabric strip. 2. Calculate how many sashing strips you will need. Look at the diagram below and count the number of sashing pieces:
3. You will need 31 sashing strips for this quilt. Since you can get 3 from each Width of Fabric Strip, Calculate 31 / 3. You will need 10.33 strips. ALWAYS ROUND UP ON THIS STEP. You will cut 11 strips. 4. Let’s say you want your sashings to be 3” finished. You will cut 3 ½” strips, so multiply 3 ½” x 11 for a total of 38.5 inches. Round that up to the nearest 1/8 yard. You will need 1 1/8 yards. If your quilt doesn’t have cornerstones with the sashings, you will first figure out how many short pieces you will need between blocks, then repeat step 3. Next, figure out how many long pieces you need between rows and add those lengths together. Divide that length by 42 to figure out how many strips of fabric you will need for the long sashing pieces. Multiply the total number of strips needed for both the short and long sashing pieces by the width of sashing. Divide by 36 to calculate yardage.
Calculating Yardage Needed for Borders 1. Determine how many inches of continuous border strip is needed by adding up the lengths of all the sides, then adding in the lengths needed for corners (Length of sides plus 4 times the width of your border strips) 2. Divide the resulting number by 42” (the width of your fabric minus selvages). The result is the NUMBER OF STRIPS YOU WILL NEED TO CUT. 3. Next, multiply the number of strips by the width of each strip. The result is the NUMBER OF INCHES OF FABRIC YOU WILL NEED. 4. Divide this number by 36 and round up to the nearest 1/8 yard to get the amount of fabric you will need in yards.
Example: Calculate the yardage needed to add a 4 ½” border to a quilt that currently measures 56” x 61” (You will need to cut your strips 5”) Add up the lengths of all the sides: 56 + 61 + 56 + 61 = 234 inches Add the lengths needed for the corners: 4 x 5 = 20 inches + 234 inches = 254 inches Divide this number by 42 to find the number of strips you will need to cut: 254 / 42 = 6.05 ALWAYS round up to the next strip – you will need seven 5” strips. Multiply the number of strips by the width of each strip: 7 x 5 = 35 inches Divide by 36 and round up to the nearest 1/8 yard: 35 / 36 = .973 You will need 1 yard of fabric for your border.
How to Add Borders to Your Quilt
1.
Piece all border strips together end to end
2. Lay your quilt out on the floor so it is smooth and flat but do not stretch it. 3. Take your border strip and lay it down the center of your quilt from top to bottom. Smooth it out, but again, do not stretch! 4. Trim the border strip off at the bottom of the quilt. Make sure it is exactly straight. Use a small mat, ruler, and cutter rather than scissors. 5. Cut a second strip this way. 6. Pin the border in place on each side of the quilt. The border may be slightly longer or slightly shorter than the edge of your quilt. This is OK! The important thing is that your border is the same length as the center of your quilt. This will prevent the quilt from flaring or ballooning when the quilt is quilted. If the border is longer, stitch it with the border on the bottom next to the feed dogs. The feed dogs will ease in the excess border fabric. If the border is slightly shorter, stitch with the quilt on the bottom next to the feed dogs. 7. Press seams toward the border. 8. Lay your quilt on the floor again. Repeat steps 3-6, this time measuring through the center of the quilt from side to side for the top and bottom borders. Backstitch on this final step to prevent the borders from unraveling when the quilt is being quilted.
Calculate how many lengths of the size of your blocks in your quilt can be cut from 42" wide fabric. If your blocks are 12 ½”, you would divide 42 / 12.5 which is 3.36. ALWAYS round down when figuring out how many pieces you can cut from a width of fabric. You can get 3 pieces from a width of fabric strip. 2. Calculate how many sashing strips you will need. Look at the diagram below and count the number of sashing pieces:
3. You will need 31 sashing strips for this quilt. Since you can get 3 from each Width of Fabric Strip, Calculate 31 / 3. You will need 10.33 strips. ALWAYS ROUND UP ON THIS STEP. You will cut 11 strips. 4. Let’s say you want your sashings to be 3” finished. You will cut 3 ½” strips, so multiply 3 ½” x 11 for a total of 38.5 inches. Round that up to the nearest 1/8 yard. You will need 1 1/8 yards. If your quilt doesn’t have cornerstones with the sashings, you will first figure out how many short pieces you will need between blocks, then repeat step 3. Next, figure out how many long pieces you need between rows and add those lengths together. Divide that length by 42 to figure out how many strips of fabric you will need for the long sashing pieces. Multiply the total number of strips needed for both the short and long sashing pieces by the width of sashing. Divide by 36 to calculate yardage.
Calculating Yardage Needed for Borders 1. Determine how many inches of continuous border strip is needed by adding up the lengths of all the sides, then adding in the lengths needed for corners (Length of sides plus 4 times the width of your border strips) 2. Divide the resulting number by 42” (the width of your fabric minus selvages). The result is the NUMBER OF STRIPS YOU WILL NEED TO CUT. 3. Next, multiply the number of strips by the width of each strip. The result is the NUMBER OF INCHES OF FABRIC YOU WILL NEED. 4. Divide this number by 36 and round up to the nearest 1/8 yard to get the amount of fabric you will need in yards.
Example: Calculate the yardage needed to add a 4 ½” border to a quilt that currently measures 56” x 61” (You will need to cut your strips 5”) Add up the lengths of all the sides: 56 + 61 + 56 + 61 = 234 inches Add the lengths needed for the corners: 4 x 5 = 20 inches + 234 inches = 254 inches Divide this number by 42 to find the number of strips you will need to cut: 254 / 42 = 6.05 ALWAYS round up to the next strip – you will need seven 5” strips. Multiply the number of strips by the width of each strip: 7 x 5 = 35 inches Divide by 36 and round up to the nearest 1/8 yard: 35 / 36 = .973 You will need 1 yard of fabric for your border.
How to Add Borders to Your Quilt
1.
Piece all border strips together end to end
2. Lay your quilt out on the floor so it is smooth and flat but do not stretch it. 3. Take your border strip and lay it down the center of your quilt from top to bottom. Smooth it out, but again, do not stretch! 4. Trim the border strip off at the bottom of the quilt. Make sure it is exactly straight. Use a small mat, ruler, and cutter rather than scissors. 5. Cut a second strip this way. 6. Pin the border in place on each side of the quilt. The border may be slightly longer or slightly shorter than the edge of your quilt. This is OK! The important thing is that your border is the same length as the center of your quilt. This will prevent the quilt from flaring or ballooning when the quilt is quilted. If the border is longer, stitch it with the border on the bottom next to the feed dogs. The feed dogs will ease in the excess border fabric. If the border is slightly shorter, stitch with the quilt on the bottom next to the feed dogs. 7. Press seams toward the border. 8. Lay your quilt on the floor again. Repeat steps 3-6, this time measuring through the center of the quilt from side to side for the top and bottom borders. Backstitch on this final step to prevent the borders from unraveling when the quilt is being quilted.
