How to calculate yardage for binding

Here is the information I told you I would post tonight.  I hope you find it useful.  If you have questions, please contact me and I will do my best to help you out. 

 How to figure out how much binding you will need for your quilt when using the straight grain cut of fabric. 

This is how I figure mine out and how I help my customers figure out how much fabric to buy.

I hope it doesn’t sound too complicated.  If you ever thought you’d never use Algebra after high school, think again. We use it in quilting, you just may not have realized it.

There is a formula

L(2)+W(2)+10=TL ÷ 42 x 2.5 = Y  J

Let me break it down some:

L(2) +W (2) + 10 = TL   (total length of strip you will need.)

TL divided by 42 = TC (total cuts you will need out of a piece of fabric that is 42” wide

TC x 2.5 = Yardage needed  (Yards of Fabric you will need)

Now that you are scratching you head and going ‘Huh?”

Here is an example:  This is using a quilt that measures 45” x 60”

Take the length of your quilt twice: 60 + 60 = 120

Plus the width of your quilt twice: 45 + 45 = 90

Add an additional 10”.

So now you have 120 + 90 + 10 = 220

The total length of strip you will need will be 220”.

Now, take that 220 and divide it by the width of your fabric. I use 42 just to be safe, but it gives you some extra, which is fine.

220  ÷ 42 = 5.23850952  , Round that up to 6

You are going to need 6 cuts of fabric to make that 220” length.

Now if you cut your binding strip at 2.5 inches which is what I do,

Take the 6 x 2.5 and you get 15!

You will need 15” of fabric to make the binding to go around your quilt that is 45” X 60”

Here is a chart to help you even more, but not be as precise as figuring it out per exact size of your quilt. This chart also figures it at fabric that is 40” wide instead of 42”.

	How to determine your yardage for                     straight grain binding
	When you know the distance around the quilt and                                       the width of the binding
	Cut Width of Binding	Yardage* Needed if the Binding Length in inches is:
	(in inches)	Up to 150	150 - 200	200-350	350-450	450-500
	1	1/4	1/4	1/3	3/8	1/2
	1 1/2	1/4	1/3	1/2	5/8	5/8
	2	1/3	1/3	5/8	3/4	7/8
	2 1/2	1/3	1/2	3/4	1	1
	3	3/8	1/2	7/8	1 1/8	1 1/4
	3 1/2	1/2	5/8	1	1 1/4	1 1/3
	4	1/2	5/8	1 1/8	1 1/2	1 1/2
	4 1/2	5/8	2/3	1 1/4	1 5/8	1 3/4
	5	5/8	3/4	1 1/3	1 3/4	1 7/8
	5 1/2	2/3	7/8	1 1/2	2	1 1/8
	6	3/4	1	1 5/8	2 1/8	2 1/4
	*These figures are based on using 40" wide fabric