Quilt binding calculator
Find out how many binding strips to cut and how much fabric to buy for any quilt, with your strip width.
How binding is worked out
- Add the four sides: 2 × (width + length).
- Add about 12 inches for joining strips and mitring the corners.
- Divide by the usable fabric width (about 40 inches) and round up: that is the number of strips.
- Multiply the strips by the strip width for the fabric length, rounded up to the next 1/8 yard.
The quilt calculator also works out backing and batting. See the quilt backing calculator and the quilt size chart.
Questions
How much binding do I need for a quilt?
Add up all four sides of the quilt and add about 12 inches for joining the strips and turning the corners. A 60 × 70 inch quilt needs 272 inches of binding: 7 strips cut across the fabric, which is 1/2 yard for 2.5 inch strips.
How wide should binding strips be?
2.5 inches is the most common width for double-fold binding on quilts with ordinary cotton batting. Use 2.25 inches for a narrower finish, or 2.75 inches for thicker batting.
How many strips do I cut?
Divide the total binding length by the usable width of the fabric (about 40 inches for quilting cotton) and round up. The calculator does this for you.
Straight-grain or bias binding?
Straight-grain strips cut across the fabric are fine for straight edges and use less fabric. Use bias binding for curved or scalloped edges.