Free quilting calculators
Quilt math,worked outbefore you cut.
Backing, binding, borders, half-square triangles and quilt sizes. Enter your measurements and get the yardage to buy, the pieces to cut and a drawing of how it all goes together.
The calculators
Five tools for the math between the pattern and the fabric shop.
Quilt Backing Calculator
Yardage, panel count and seam layout for 42", 44" or 108" wideback fabric.
Open calculatorQuilt Binding Calculator
Strips to cut and fabric to buy, for straight-grain or continuous bias binding.
Open calculatorQuilt Border Calculator
Cut lengths and yardage for up to three borders, butted or mitered.
Open calculatorHalf-Square Triangle Calculator
Starting squares, trim size and fabric for 2-at-a-time, 4-at-a-time and Magic 8.
Open calculatorQuilt Size Chart
The right finished size for any bed, with drop, pillow tuck and shrinkage.
Open calculatorRounded up, never down
Every fabric amount rounds up to the next 1/8 yard or 0.1 m. Follow the number and you will not run short at the cutting table.
The math is on the page
Each calculator explains its formula with a worked example, so you can check it against your pattern before you cut.
Inches or centimeters
Switch units whenever you like. Your measurements stay exactly as you entered them.
How it works
From measurements to a cutting list in under a minute.
No spreadsheets and no rounding guesses. The calculators do the arithmetic quilters usually do on the back of the pattern.
- 01
Measure your quilt
Width and length, raw edge to raw edge. Or start from a bed size and let the size chart work out the quilt for you.
- 02
Choose your fabric
Standard 42" quilting cotton, 44" wide cotton or 108" wideback. Every result follows the width you pick.
- 03
Take the numbers to the shop
Yardage to buy, how many pieces to cut, how long each one is, and a drawing of the layout.
A worked example
One lap quilt, every number you need.
A 60" × 72" quilt center with a 4" border, finished with 2½" binding. Every figure below comes from the same calculators you can use.
Questions
Good to know.
Are the calculators free?
Yes. Every calculator is free to use, with no account and no sign-up.
Why does QuiltHelper round fabric up?
Fabric is sold in eighths of a yard, and running short means a second trip to the shop or a dye lot that does not match. Every amount is rounded up to the next 1/8 yard (or 0.1 m), so the number you see is the number to ask for.
Which fabric width should I choose?
Most quilting cotton is sold 42"–44" wide, but after trimming the selvages about 40"–42" is usable. The calculators default to 42" usable; choose 40" if your fabric runs narrow. Wideback fabric is sold 108" wide, and the backing calculator treats about 104" of it as usable.
How do you check the math?
Each calculator is tested against hand-worked examples for standard quilt sizes, from baby quilts to king, and against edge cases such as quilts wider than one panel of fabric. Thousands of random combinations are checked before every update. The formulas are written out on every calculator page.
Can I use centimeters?
Yes. Every calculator has an inch and centimeter switch. Fabric to buy is then shown in meters, rounded up to the next 0.1 m.