Fabric Yardage, Backing & Binding

Quilting cotton is sold as 42 to 44 inches wide, but after the selvages are trimmed and the fabric is squared, plan on 42 inches of usable width of fabric, or WOF. Every yardage figure on this sheet is worked from strips cut across that width. Round up, add a little for squaring and mistakes, and buy it all at once, because prints go out of stock.

Yardage from a cut list

Pieces per strip is 42 divided by the piece width, rounded down. Strips needed is pieces divided by pieces per strip, rounded up. Inches of fabric is strips times strip width, and yards is that divided by 36.

Fabric	Piece size	Pieces needed	Strip width	Pieces per strip	Strips	Inches	Yards to buy
Example: sashing	2 1/2 x 12 1/2 in	71	12 1/2 in	16	5	62.5	1.74, buy 2
Example: cornerstones	2 1/2 in square	42	2 1/2 in	16	3	7.5	0.21, buy 1/3

For the sashing, a 12 1/2 in strip subcut into 2 1/2 in widths gives 16 pieces, where a 2 1/2 in strip subcut into 12 1/2 in lengths gives only 3. Try both directions and use whichever needs less fabric.

Backing: pieced or wide

Backing is the quilt top plus extra on every side. Longarm quilters commonly ask for about 4 in extra per side; ask yours. Pieced from 42 in fabric, count about 40 in per panel after seams.

Step	Example: 80 x 94 in quilt	Your quilt
Backing size (top + 4 in per side)	88 x 102 in
Vertical seams: panels (88 / 40, round up)	3 panels x 102 in = 8.5 yd
Horizontal seams: panels (102 / 40, round up)	3 panels x 88 in = 7 1/3 yd
108 in wide backing (length needed = 88 in)	2.44 yd, buy 2 1/2 yd
Cheapest option for this quilt

Try the seams both ways. The shorter panel direction often saves more than a yard, and wide backing removes the seam entirely.

Binding

Step	Example	Your quilt
Perimeter (2 x width + 2 x length)	2 x 80 + 2 x 94 = 348 in
Plus 10 to 12 in for corners and joining	360 in
Usable length per strip after diagonal joins	About 40 in
Strips needed (round up)	9
Strip width	2 1/2 in, common double-fold
Fabric (strips x width / 36)	22.5 in = 0.63 yd, buy 3/4 yd

Batting

Batting size	Typical packaged size (in)	Fits a top up to about
Crib	45 x 60	37 to 41 x 52 to 56
Twin	72 x 90	64 to 68 x 82 to 86
Full	81 x 96	73 to 77 x 88 to 92
Queen	90 x 108	82 to 86 x 100 to 104
King	120 x 120	112 to 116 x 112 to 116

Batting should be the quilt top plus 4 to 8 in overall, the same margin as the backing. Packaged sizes vary by brand, so check the label. The example 80 x 94 in quilt needs 88 x 102 in, which a queen batt covers.

Precut equivalents

Precut	Piece size	Pieces, commonly	Rough yardage equivalent
Mini charm pack	2 1/2 in squares	42	About 1/6 yd
Charm pack	5 in squares	42	About 2/3 yd
Layer cake	10 in squares	42	About 2 3/4 yd
Jelly roll	2 1/2 in x WOF strips	40	About 2 3/4 yd
Fat quarter	18 x 21 in, approx.	1	Same area as 1/4 yd
Fat eighth	9 x 21 in, approx.	1	Same area as 1/8 yd

Piece counts vary by manufacturer, so count the bundle before cutting. Equivalents are by area at 42 in WOF. Sheet 6 turns each precut into block yields.

Cutting it all out

Once a cut list passes a hundred pieces, a fabric cutting machine or a rotary system with a large mat saves hours and fabric.

AccuQuilt GO! Big Electric Fabric Cutter Starter Set: An electric cutter that takes all GO! dies, including 14 x 16 in GO! Big dies, and cuts up to 6 layers of cotton at a time when the cut list runs long.
AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter Starter Set: The folding manual cutter, also up to 6 layers, with a 4.5 in square, 2.5 in square and half-square triangle die to start the cut list.
ROC-lon 108 in Wide Cotton Quilt Backing, White, 3 Yards: At 108 in wide, a single 3 yd length backs a throw or twin with no backing seam to piece, which is the whole point of the backing worksheet.
Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 Cotton/Poly Batting, Queen: A 90 x 108 in 80/20 batt at about 1/8 in loft, quiltable up to 4 in apart, with about 3 to 5% shrinkage to allow for in the size math above.

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