Quilt backing calculator
Yardage, panels and seam direction for any quilt top.
4" is typical; long-arm quilters often ask for it.
3⅞ yd
2 panels, horizontal seam(s).
How backing yardage is calculated
Your quilt top needs backing that extends past every edge, the overhang, so the layers can shift while quilting and still stay covered. The calculator adds the overhang to both dimensions, then works out how many panels of your chosen fabric width it takes to cover the result, seaming them in whichever direction wastes less fabric.
Standard quilting cotton gives about 42 usable inches after shrinkage and selvages. A 108" wideback often covers the whole quilt in a single panel, which is why many quilters switch to it for anything larger than a throw.
Tired of re-measuring your stash?
YardKeep keeps every fabric photographed and counted, so questions like "do I have enough backing?" answer themselves.
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