How do I Cut a Rectangle Into Diamond Shapes?

1. Gather your materials:

- Rectangle (cardboard, fabric, or other material)

- Cutting tool (scissors, rotary cutter, or craft knife)

- Ruler or measuring tape

- Pencil or chalk

2. Measure the rectangle:

Determine the height (H) and width (W) of the rectangle.

_Example: Let's say the rectangle has a height of 10 inches (H) and a width of 8 inches (W)._

3. Calculate the diamond width:

Each diamond will have an upper (U) and a lower (L) width, which we will calculate based on the measurements of the rectangle.

- _Upper Width (U) = (H - W)/2_

- _Lower Width (L) = (W + H)/2_

_In our example:

- U = (10 - 8) / 2 = 1 inch

- L = (8 + 10) / 2 = 9 inches_

4. Mark the diamond shapes:

Use a pencil or chalk to mark the outline of the diamond shapes on the rectangle.

- Draw a horizontal line across the rectangle, at a distance of U from the top.

- Draw two diagonal lines from the corners of the rectangle to intersect at the center of the horizontal line.

- Repeat steps 1 and 2, but starting from the bottom of the rectangle.

_In our example, the upper line would be drawn 1 inch from the top of the rectangle, and the lower line would be drawn 9 inches from the top._

5. Cut the diamond shapes:

Use your cutting tool to carefully cut out the diamond shapes along the marked lines.

6. Trim any excess material:

If necessary, use scissors or a craft knife to trim any excess material around the diamond shapes.