This form is French-fold binding cut on the straight grain. Strip width starts at 2.5 inches and usable width at 42 inches; change either and the yardage changes. The 10 inches for mitered corners and diagonal joins are added for you and are not a field. Strips round up to a whole number. Yardage rounds up to the next eighth of a yard, and an exact eighth stays put. That is the amount to buy under those inputs, not a yardage for every quilt.
Open Binding in the studio. The form on this page is that calculator.
How quilt binding yardage is calculated
Binding wraps the outer edge, so the math starts with the perimeter. This calculator then adds 10 inches, divides by the usable width you entered, and rounds yardage up. A different strip width or bolt changes the shopping number.
The button uses this formula. It does not apply to bias binding.
- Perimeter = 2 × (width + height)
- Total binding length = perimeter + 10" (for mitered corners and diagonal joining seams)
- Strips needed = total binding length ÷ usable fabric width, rounded up
- Fabric inches needed = strips needed × strip width
- Yardage = fabric inches ÷ 36, rounded up to the nearest 1/8 yard
For example, a 60" × 72" quilt has a perimeter of 264". Add 10" and you need 274" of binding. With 42"-wide fabric that is 7 strips. At 2.5 inches each, that is 17.5 inches of fabric, which rounds up to 1/2 yard.
What is double-fold binding?
Double-fold (also called French-fold) binding is the most popular finish for quilts because it puts two layers of fabric along the wear-prone edge. You cut strips, join them end to end on the diagonal, then press the long strip in half lengthwise. The folded strip is stitched to the quilt front, wrapped around the raw edge, and finished on the back.
Because the strip is folded in half, a 2.5" cut strip finishes at roughly 1/4" of visible binding on each side. That is why this calculator multiplies the number of strips by the full cut width — you need the entire width even though only part of it shows.
Pro tip: Always join binding strips with diagonal seams. They distribute the bulk so the binding lies flat and the seams disappear into the edge of the quilt.
Tips for buying binding fabric
- Round up generously. This calculator already rounds yardage up, but buying an extra 1/8 yard gives you room for a test corner or a mistake.
- Bind after quilting. Quilts can grow or shrink slightly during quilting, so measure the finished top before cutting binding.
- Mind the fabric width. Quilting cotton is often sold at 42–44", but usable width after removing selvages is closer to 40–42". Enter the usable width for the most accurate result.
- Bias for curves. This page assumes straight-grain strips. Scalloped or rounded edges need the bias binding calculator, which uses a different cut and adds 12 inches instead of 10.
This calculator stays free. It answers binding on its own. In the studio, measurements, cutting instructions and a pattern-pack download for a design you make come with a $4.99 unlock of that layout or Quilter. The sewing is in how to bind a quilt.