Quilt backing calculator
How much fabric for the back of your quilt? Enter the finished size and compare regular quilting cotton, seamed in panels, with 108 inch wide backing.
The backing is cut 4" bigger than the quilt on every side: 68" x 78".
How it works
The backing is cut 4 inches bigger than the quilt on every side, so it can shift a little while you quilt. Regular fabric is only 40 to 44 inches wide, so most quilts need two or three panels sewn together.
We try the seams both ways, running down the quilt or across it, and pick the way that takes less fabric. Wide backing is 108 inches wide, so a quilt up to 100 inches across comes out of one length with no seams. Yardage is rounded up to 1/8 yard.
Want the whole pattern, with every cut? Design your quilt and get a PDF made for your size.
FAQ
Regular fabric or wide backing?
Regular fabric gives you any print but needs seams and more yards. Wide backing needs fewer yards and no seams, but costs more per yard and comes in fewer prints.
Why 4 inches extra on each side?
Quilting pulls the layers in a little and the backing shifts. Long-arm quilters often ask for 4 to 6 inches each side; ask yours.