Quilt binding calculator.
Plan your straight-grain, double-fold binding.
Your measurements
The worked example below explains a complete fabric estimate. Enable JavaScript to calculate with your own measurements.
Planning estimate. Check measurements before buying or cutting. Terms of use.
A useful estimate.
A considered cut.
Start with usable width
Fabric labels may include the selvages. Enter the width you can actually use, and measure your quilt in more than one place.
Leave room for your process
Estimates exclude shrinkage, print matching and cutting mistakes. Check the layout and your fabric direction before buying.
See how we calculate ↗Binding for a 60 × 80 inch quilt
For a rectangular quilt, the perimeter is 2 × (60 + 80) = 280 inches. Adding 12 inches for turning corners and joining the ends gives a target of 292 inches.
Suppose you cut 2½ inch strips across 42 inches of usable fabric and connect them with diagonal joins. Each join consumes 2½ inches of length in this model.
- Seven strips yield 7 × 42 − 6 × 2.5 = 279 inches: not enough.
- Eight strips yield 8 × 42 − 7 × 2.5 = 318½ inches: enough for the 292 inch target.
- Eight strips need 8 × 2.5 = 20 inches along the fabric roll. That is 0.555… yards, rounded up to ⅝ yard.
The purchase estimate covers the strips. It does not include extra fabric for shrinkage or errors while straightening and cutting.
Cut width is not finished width
Enter the width of each strip before folding and attaching it. The visible finished binding width depends on your folding and sewing method, batting thickness and seam allowance. Follow your pattern when choosing the strip width.
Choose the extra length deliberately
The default 12 inches is an editable planning allowance, not a universal rule. Your preferred finishing method may need more. The allowance for diagonal joins between strips is already handled separately.
For straight-grain binding only
This tool assumes full-width crosswise strips. It does not calculate bias binding, continuous bias methods, scalloped edges or irregular quilt perimeters. The illustrated strips are a schematic; large strip counts are abbreviated in the picture and stated in full in the result.