Quilt Binding Calculator

What this calculator does

Binding is the strip of fabric that wraps and finishes the raw edges of a finished quilt. To cut enough, you need to know the distance around your quilt plus a little extra for turning the corners and joining the strip ends. This tool measures your quilt's edge, adds that allowance, and tells you how many fabric strips to cut and how much yardage to buy.

How the math works

We start with the perimeter — the distance around all four sides — using 2 × (width + height). Then we add your corner-and-join allowance (about 10–12" is typical for mitered corners and a diagonal join). That total length is divided by the usable strip length from your fabric (40" is standard for 42–44" wide quilting cotton after trimming selvages), then rounded up to a whole number of strips. Fabric needed is strips × strip width, and yardage is that figure divided by 36.

How to use it

1. Enter your finished quilt width and height in inches.
2. Set your strip width — 2.5" is the default for a standard double-fold binding.
3. Adjust the extra allowance for corners and seams if you like (12" default).
4. Set the usable strip length to match your fabric width (40" default).
5. Read off your total length, strip count, and yardage instantly.

FAQ

What strip width should I use?

2.5" is the most common for double-fold binding on regular cotton. Use 2.25" for a tighter finish or 2.75"–3" for thicker batting.

Is this for straight-grain or bias binding?

The length math is the same either way. Bias binding cut on the diagonal can yield different usable strip lengths, so adjust the usable-length field.

Why round the strips up?

You can't cut a partial strip, so we always round up to make sure you have enough fabric to go all the way around with room to join.

Should I buy extra fabric?

Yes — results are estimates. Buy a little more than the yardage shown to allow for shrinkage, straightening cuts, and mistakes.