Find out how much binding a quilt needs, from a baby quilt to a queen or king size quilt: the total length, the number of strips to cut and the fabric to buy for straight-grain or bias binding. Enter the finished size and your strip width, and the perimeter math and yardage rounding are done for you.
If you leave strip width, fabric width or extra blank, the calculator uses 2.5 in, 40 in and 12 in. Fabric is rounded up to the next 1/8 yard. Straight strips are cut across the width of fabric; bias yardage assumes the continuous-bias method from one square. Pre-wash shrinkage and cutting mistakes are not included, so buy a little extra.
How Much Binding for a Queen Size Quilt?
A 90 x 108 in queen quilt needs about 408 in of binding: the 396 in perimeter plus 12 in for corners and joining. That is 11.33 yd, or 11 strips cut across 40 in of usable fabric. At 2.5 in wide, buy 7/8 yd for straight-grain binding or 1 yd for bias.
| Quilt size | Binding length | Strips | Fabric at 2.5 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 × 40 in | 172 in | 5 | 3/8 yd |
| 50 × 60 in | 232 in | 6 | 1/2 yd |
| 60 × 72 in | 276 in | 7 | 1/2 yd |
| 70 × 90 in | 332 in | 9 | 5/8 yd |
| 90 × 108 in | 408 in | 11 | 7/8 yd |
| 108 × 108 in | 444 in | 12 | 7/8 yd |
How to Calculate Quilt Binding Length and Fabric
Binding length is the distance around the quilt plus an allowance for mitring the corners and joining the ends. For straight-grain binding the tool divides that length by the usable width of your fabric to get the strip count, then multiplies strips by strip width to find how much fabric to cut. For bias binding it finds the size of one square that, cut as continuous bias, yields the same length.
Formula: Total binding length = 2 × (Width + Length) + Extra. Strips = Total length ÷ Usable fabric width, rounded up. Straight fabric (yd) = Strips × Strip width ÷ 36, rounded up to the next 1/8 yd. Bias square side = √(Total length × Strip width). Bias fabric (yd) = Square side ÷ 36, rounded up to the next 1/8 yd.
- Add the four sides: a 50 × 60 in quilt has 2 × (50 + 60) = 220 in.
- Add 12 in for corners and joining: 232 in.
- Divide by 40 in of usable fabric: 5.8, so cut 6 strips.
- Multiply by strip width: 6 × 2.5 = 15 in, or 0.42 yd, rounded up to 1/2 yd.
- Quilt width and Quilt length: the finished size after quilting, measured through the middle in inches.
- Strip width: how wide you cut each binding strip. 2.5 in is the most common width for double-fold binding, and if you leave it blank, the calculator uses 2.5 in; 2.25 in gives a slimmer edge.
- Usable fabric width: the width of fabric left after trimming selvages and losing a little to diagonal seams. 40 in is a safe figure for standard 42–44 in quilting cotton, so a blank field uses 40 in.
- Extra for joining and corners: the length added for mitred corners and for overlapping the ends. Most quilters add 10 to 12 in; if you leave it blank, it uses 12 in.
Binding Examples by Quilt Size
| Quilt size | Strip width | Total length | Strips | Straight fabric | Bias fabric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 × 72 in (throw) | 2.5 in | 276 in (7.67 yd) | 7 | 1/2 yd | 3/4 yd |
| 40 × 40 in (baby) | 2.5 in | 172 in (4.78 yd) | 5 | 3/8 yd | 5/8 yd |
| 80 × 90 in (full) | 2.25 in | 352 in (9.78 yd) | 9 | 5/8 yd | 7/8 yd |
| 90 × 108 in (queen) | 2.5 in | 408 in (11.33 yd) | 11 | 7/8 yd | 1 yd |
| 108 × 108 in (king) | 2.5 in | 444 in (12.33 yd) | 12 | 7/8 yd | 1 yd |
Every row uses 40 in of usable fabric width and 12 in of extra length.
Choosing Strip Width, Grain and Fabric
The perimeter sets most of the answer, but a few choices change it. For an odd-shaped or scalloped quilt, measure the edge with a flexible tape and type that total in as width and length halves.
- Straight grain for square edges. Strips cut across the width are fast and use less fabric. Most bed quilts are bound this way.
- Bias for curves and wear. Bias binding bends around curves and wears better on edges that get handled. How much fabric for bias binding is always a little higher, usually 1/8 to 1/4 yd more.
- Check the fabric width. Wide-back fabric or a fat quarter changes the strip count a lot. Enter about 20 in for a fat quarter cut along its 22 in side, or about 100 in for a wide back.
- Buy an extra 1/4 yard. One mis-cut strip can leave you short, and dye lots vary if you go back for more.
- Use perimeter plus 12 in as a check. It works for nearly every quilt, so you can sanity-check any pattern’s figure in seconds.
Results round to 1/8 yard because most shops cut to that increment. For more on bias-cut strips and why they stretch, see Wikipedia’s article on bias tape and bias binding.
Common questions about quilt binding
How much binding do I need for a 50×60 quilt?
A 50 x 60 in quilt has a 220 in perimeter, so with 12 in extra you need 232 in of binding, about 6.44 yd. That is 6 strips across 40 in of usable fabric, or 1/2 yd at 2.5 in wide (3/4 yd if you cut bias).How many strips for binding a queen size quilt?
A 90 × 108 in queen quilt has a 396 in perimeter. Add 12 in and you need 408 in of binding, which is 11 strips cut across 40 in of usable fabric, or 7/8 yd at 2.5 in wide.What width to cut binding for a quilt?
Most quilters cut 2.5 in strips for double-fold binding, which finishes at roughly 3/8 in on the front. Cut 2.25 in for a narrower edge on thin batting, or 2.75 in for thick wool batting, and enter it as the strip width so the fabric estimate stays accurate.How much fabric for bias binding?
Bias binding is cut from one square, and its side is the square root of length × strip width. For a queen’s 408 in at 2.5 in, that is a 31.9 in square, so buy 1 yd, compared with 7/8 yd for straight-grain strips.Does the binding calculator work in cm?
The tool works in inches, so divide centimetres by 2.54 first. A 150 × 180 cm quilt is about 59 × 71 in, and a 6 cm strip is about 2.36 in. The result line also shows the total length in metres.How much extra binding should I add?
Add 10 to 12 in to the perimeter. That covers four mitred corners and the overlap needed to join the two ends neatly. If you are new to joining binding ends, add 15 to 20 in for more room to work.Related Calculators
Planning the whole quilt, not just the edge? The rectangle area calculator for quilt tops and backing gives the square inches you need to cover. Patterns written in metric are easy to follow with the inch to cm converter, and the unit converter for yards, metres and feet helps when fabric is sold in a different unit than your pattern uses. Keep this quilt binding calculator open alongside them for the finishing step.