Help with quilting math, please

[Kamu]

Hi!

I was planning to do a simple square-in-a-square quilt with sports fabric for my sport-crazy brother, but when I got to the fabric store I was completely taken by a charming baseball panel. I just had to have it, and so on the spot I figured I would cut out the panel boxes and figure out a way to assemble a top combining them with my original idea. But I'm quite the beginner and I really would like someone to check the math before I start cutting!

The panel has large and small squares in it. The large square is 17" raw and the small ones are 6-1/2" raw, both including the seam allowances. I want to put a border/sashing around the small panel for the square-in-a-square effect, and I need to calculate the thickness of the border. I want 2 small squares to add up to the length of the long square.

I figured I need the border of the small square to be 1-5/8", does that sound right to you experts?

Logic is: the big panel will finish to 16-1/2 so each small square must finish to 8-1/4. Small centre square finish at 6" (from 6-1/2 raw) so the border must finish to half of 2-1/4 which is 1-1/8 plus seam allowances is 1-5/8.

So, how's my math?

Thanks a lot!

[Mpyles]

Re: Help with quilting math, please

I concur!!

[vchale]

Re: Help with quilting math, please

Are you going to border each of the small panels on all four sides or will you have only 1 width between the 2. Here's the way I was figuring it, if you have a 2" strip then your 6-1/2" square, then another 2" then another 6-1/2" then another 2" that would be 19". Then subtract 1/2" seam allowances between first border and first square then another 1/2" between first square and middle sashing then 1/2" between middle and bottom square the another between bottom square and bottom sashing would be 2" and 19-2=17. This is just one way to do it. Hope I haven't confused you more.

[Kamu]

Re: Help with quilting math, please

Hi Vernona,

No, it's not confusing, but I was planning a complete border, all 4 sides, for each small panel. I'm planning to use a few different solids around the various panels.

I take the fact that your explanation made complete sense as an indication that I'm getting the hang of this!

Thanks for taking the time!