Quilt Binding Calculator

Find how much binding fabric your quilt needs — enter the quilt's length, width, cut strip width, and usable fabric width to get the binding length, strip count, and yardage to buy.

Quick Facts

Standard allowance
Add about 10 inches to the perimeter
Covers the four mitered corners plus the diagonal seam that joins strip ends.
Common strip width
2.5 inches is the industry default
The usual cut width for standard double-fold (French) binding.
Usable fabric width
Assume about 40 inches
Quilting cotton is typically 42-44 inches off the bolt before trimming selvages.

Your Results

Calculated
Binding needed
-
Perimeter plus corner/seam allowance
Strips to cut
-
Full-width-of-fabric strips
Fabric to buy
-
Rounded up to the nearest 1/8 yard
Binding produced
-
Total length once strips are cut

Ready

Enter your quilt's dimensions and press Calculate.

Understanding Quilt Binding Yardage

Binding is the folded strip of fabric that wraps and finishes the raw outer edge of a quilt sandwich (top, batting, and backing). Buying too little means an awkward last-minute fabric run; buying too much wastes yardage. This calculator uses the standard method quilters and pattern designers rely on to turn a quilt's finished size into a strip count and a yardage figure.

The formula

The calculation runs in four steps:

  • Perimeter: Perimeter = 2 × (Length + Width) — the total distance around the quilt's edge.
  • Binding needed: add about 10 inches to the perimeter. This standard allowance covers the extra fabric consumed at the four mitered corners and the diagonal seam used to join the ends of the binding strip into a continuous loop.
  • Strips to cut: divide the binding needed by your usable fabric width (the width of fabric, or WOF, left after trimming the selvages) and round up — you can only cut whole strips. Strips = ceil(Binding needed ÷ Usable fabric width).
  • Yardage: multiply the number of strips by the strip width to get the total fabric length, convert inches to yards by dividing by 36, then round up to the nearest 1/8 yard, since fabric shops cut in 1/8-yard increments.

Choosing a strip width

Most double-fold (also called French or self-faced) binding is cut 2.5 inches wide, which produces a finished binding of roughly 3/8 inch after folding, pressing, and stitching. Quilters who prefer a narrower look cut 2.25-inch strips; a thicker batting or a more traditional wider finish may call for strips up to 3 inches. The calculator works with any strip width you enter — it does not assume 2.5 inches.

Usable fabric width

Quilting cotton is usually sold 42 to 44 inches wide off the bolt, but the printed selvage edges (roughly 0.5 to 1 inch on each side) are unusable, so most patterns and calculators assume 40 inches of usable width per strip. If your fabric bolt is wider or narrower, adjust the "usable fabric width" input to match.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much extra should I add for corners and the joining seam?
The standard rule of thumb is to add about 10 inches to the quilt's perimeter. That covers the extra fabric used up when the binding is mitered around each of the four corners, plus the length lost to the diagonal seam that joins the two ends of the binding strip into one continuous loop.
What strip width should I cut for binding?
2.5 inches is the most common width for standard double-fold binding and works well with typical quilt batting. Cut 2.25-inch strips for a narrower finished edge, or up to 3 inches for a thicker batting or a wider traditional look. Whatever width you choose, enter it in the calculator so the yardage matches.
How do I know how many strips to cut?
Divide the total binding length you need by the usable width of your fabric (typically about 40 inches after trimming the selvages), then round up to the next whole strip — you always cut full strips even if the last one is only partially used, and the leftover strip contributes to your surplus.
Why is the yardage rounded up to the nearest 1/8 yard?
Fabric stores measure and cut yardage in fractional increments, most commonly 1/8 yard or 1/4 yard, not arbitrary decimals. Rounding your calculated yardage up to the nearest 1/8 yard gives you a number you can actually ask for at the cutting counter, with a small buffer built in.

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