Boy do I need help!!
08-09-2012, 08:21 PM
#12
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,659
For me, drawing/drafting something helps me 'think' better about it.
08-09-2012, 09:46 PM
#13
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Now for the challenge of cutting those strips out of the least amount of fabric.
Here's how I would calculate for the brown fabric. You need approximately this amount of length in 6.5" strips:
(2x76") + (2x74") + (2x87")+(2x95") = approximately 670" = (670/36") = 18.62 yards of fabric.
However, you can get 6 strips out of one width (42"/6.5") = 6 strips of 6.5" inches each.
So, in order to get enough length for all of the 6.5" strips, you need (670" / 6 strips per width) = 112" = 3.12 yards.
You probably want to add a little bit of length to the strips to allow you to make diagonal joins in the borders, so you probably want to add some extra fabric for that. My minimum purchase of the brown fabric would be 3.5 yards (4 yards if you are going to pre-wash and need extra in case of shrinkage).
For the white fabric, you need approximately the following total length of 4.5" strips:
(2x88") + (2x83") = 342"
You can get at least 8 strips that are 4.5" from one width of fabric:
(40"/4.5) = 8
and possibly 9 strips (42"/4.5) = 9
I would go conservative and count on 8 strips per width of fabric.
342" / 8 = 43" to get the minimum length needed of 4.5" strips
43"/36 = 1.2 yards
You need a little extra for diagonal joins, so I would purchase 1.5 yards of the white fabric (expecting some to be left over).
That's my best estimate of yardages so far.
What I would do with the yardage is first cut it all into strips of the correct width. I would join 2 widths as necessary to get enough for each border as I went, paying attention to where the joins are falling. You could probably rough-out all the borders this way, laying them out as you go, to make sure that the joins are going to fall where you want them. Once you get that done, you can measure the quilt and cut the first two border pieces to correct length (***very*** important to measure, cut and pin before sewing each border, especially multiple borders, to keep the quilt top flat and the edges unwavy), sew them on, iron seams flat, measure the quilt in the other direction, cut the next pair of border strips to length, pin and sew, etc.
Here's how I would calculate for the brown fabric. You need approximately this amount of length in 6.5" strips:
(2x76") + (2x74") + (2x87")+(2x95") = approximately 670" = (670/36") = 18.62 yards of fabric.
However, you can get 6 strips out of one width (42"/6.5") = 6 strips of 6.5" inches each.
So, in order to get enough length for all of the 6.5" strips, you need (670" / 6 strips per width) = 112" = 3.12 yards.
You probably want to add a little bit of length to the strips to allow you to make diagonal joins in the borders, so you probably want to add some extra fabric for that. My minimum purchase of the brown fabric would be 3.5 yards (4 yards if you are going to pre-wash and need extra in case of shrinkage).
For the white fabric, you need approximately the following total length of 4.5" strips:
(2x88") + (2x83") = 342"
You can get at least 8 strips that are 4.5" from one width of fabric:
(40"/4.5) = 8
and possibly 9 strips (42"/4.5) = 9
I would go conservative and count on 8 strips per width of fabric.
342" / 8 = 43" to get the minimum length needed of 4.5" strips
43"/36 = 1.2 yards
You need a little extra for diagonal joins, so I would purchase 1.5 yards of the white fabric (expecting some to be left over).
That's my best estimate of yardages so far.
What I would do with the yardage is first cut it all into strips of the correct width. I would join 2 widths as necessary to get enough for each border as I went, paying attention to where the joins are falling. You could probably rough-out all the borders this way, laying them out as you go, to make sure that the joins are going to fall where you want them. Once you get that done, you can measure the quilt and cut the first two border pieces to correct length (***very*** important to measure, cut and pin before sewing each border, especially multiple borders, to keep the quilt top flat and the edges unwavy), sew them on, iron seams flat, measure the quilt in the other direction, cut the next pair of border strips to length, pin and sew, etc.
Last edited by Prism99; 08-09-2012 at 09:53 PM.
08-10-2012, 05:52 AM
#15
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,659
The longer yardages are for if you want/can avoid joins/seams in each border strip. Which is my preference when I'm able to do so -
But many times one has to improvise/piece a border for various reasons:
Only so much of the wanted fabric is available
Only so much money to buy the wanted fabric is available
The design of the print makes one direction more appealing than the other
Good luck.
I'm a wash before cutting person. I've found that most fabrics shrink - but I never know ahead of time if it will be lengthwise, crosswise, or both ways. So I always try to have a bit 'extra' to allow for that - and as Prism said - if you do the diagonal seams for the joins - that also uses a bit more fabric.
But many times one has to improvise/piece a border for various reasons:
Only so much of the wanted fabric is available
Only so much money to buy the wanted fabric is available
The design of the print makes one direction more appealing than the other
Good luck.
I'm a wash before cutting person. I've found that most fabrics shrink - but I never know ahead of time if it will be lengthwise, crosswise, or both ways. So I always try to have a bit 'extra' to allow for that - and as Prism said - if you do the diagonal seams for the joins - that also uses a bit more fabric.
08-11-2012, 06:29 AM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 383
I know I am in good hands here on this board. I need help figuring out how much fabric I need. I have a quilt top that is 76 inches long, 62 inches wide. I want to add fabric to the sides and bottom with a 16 inch measurement. I want to make it like this: A brown 6 inch stripe, then a 4 inch white stripe and finish with a 6 inch brown stripe. How much fabric of each do I need? Please tell me how to figure this. Any question that I have not covered, let me know. Thanks everyone.
2nd 4 inch border = 1 yard cut 4.5 inch strips, cutting 8 strips
3rd 6 inch border = 1 5/8 yds cut 6.5 inch strips, cutting 8 strips
i tunes has this great App by RKaufman Fabrics called QuiltCal - it is a lifesaver!!
08-11-2012, 11:10 AM
#19
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
I'm pretty sure the yardages above would require straight joins for the border strips, which can work fine for many fabrics. Diagonal joins take up extra length in the strips, which is why my yardage calculations were a little larger.
08-11-2012, 07:32 PM
#20
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,659
Draw it out on graph paper and see what will work with the fabric(s) you plan to use.
Also - be sure you check out the width of the fabric(s) you plan to use if you choose to go the width of fabric route. And if you plan to miter the joins or butt the joins.
Last edited by bearisgray; 08-11-2012 at 07:36 PM.
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