A LITTLE MATH. MORE MAKING.

Quilt binding calculator

Turn your quilt perimeter into cross-grain strips, joined binding length and rounded fabric yardage.

Your quilt & fabric

Measurement unit

Use finished quilt-top dimensions. Unit switching converts your measurements; the fabric buying unit is chosen separately.

Quilt width (in)Quilt length (in)

Usable fabric width (in)Measure after removing selvages and any prewashing. Use the width you can actually cut.

Cut strip width (in)Extra length for tails & finishing (in)

Straight cross-grain strips with diagonal joins. Each join uses one strip-width of length. This tool does not calculate bias binding.

Buying your fabric

Fabric sold byShop cutting incrementFor example, 0.25 yards or 0.10 metres. Confirm with your shop.

Price per selected buying unit (optional)Currency

Working out your fabric…

Shared links contain measurements and prices. No account or saved plan record.

TRY THE NUMBERS

Example: binding a 60 × 80 inch quilt

For a 60 × 80 inch quilt, the perimeter is 2 × (60 + 80) = 280 inches. Add a 12-inch finishing allowance to need 292 inches of binding.
Use 42-inch usable fabric width and 2.5-inch cut strips. Seven strips yield 279 inches after diagonal joins, so they are too short. Eight yield 8 × 42 − 7 × 2.5 = 318.5 inches.
Eight strips use 8 × 2.5 = 20 inches of fabric length. That is about 0.56 yards, rounded up to 0.75 yards when buying in quarter-yard steps.

Enter the cut strip width, before folding. This example is straight cross-grain binding with diagonal joins; continuous bias binding needs a different cutting plan.

Open this example in the calculator

Opening the example loads these sample values in place of your current entries.

How to measure

Measure the finished quilt width A and length B. Binding follows all four edges. The strips underneath represent eight separate 2.5-inch-wide cuts across 42 inches of usable fabric.Illustration only; not drawn to scale.

THE MATH, MADE SIMPLE

From perimeter to strips

Required length = twice the quilt width plus twice its length, then your finishing allowance. We round up the number of strips so strips × usable width − (strips − 1) × strip width covers that length.

Fabric length to buy = strips × cut strip width. This assumes diagonal joins for straight cross-grain binding; it does not calculate continuous bias binding.

Before you cut

Confirm your quilter’s backing and batting requirements. Measure usable fabric after selvages and prewashing. Directional prints, repeat matching and squaring up may need more fabric.

Read the fabric planning guide ↗