THE QUILTING REFERENCE
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THE CUTTING TABLE

Quilt backing calculator: yardage for any quilt size

A 60 × 80 inch quilt needs 5 yards of 42-inch-wide backing fabric, pieced from 2 panels, with 4 inches of overhang on every side. Enter your own quilt size and allowances below; the calculator compares full-width panel layouts with seam allowances included.

Your measurements

All measurements in inches. Usable fabric width excludes selvages.

Reset measurements

YOUR FABRIC ESTIMATE

2.5 yards

Rounded UP to your selected purchase increment.

2 panels

Backing rectangle
44 × 60 inches
Cut each panel
42 × 44 inches
Panels run along quilt
width
Sewn combined width
83 inches
Fabric before purchase rounding
88 inches / 2.4444 yards

Compare panel layouts

The recommendation uses the least purchased fabric. Check the panel direction against your print before cutting.

RECOMMENDED

Along quilt width

2.5 yards

2 panels, each 42 × 44 inches.

Sewn width: 83 inches. 1 join.

ALTERNATIVE

Along quilt height

3.375 yards

2 panels, each 42 × 60 inches.

Sewn width: 83 inches. 1 join.

What this estimate includes

Each joined edge consumes its seam allowance. Two 42-inch panels with a half-inch allowance on each joining edge produce 83 inches of sewn width, not 84. Rotation is considered only when you allow it.

We compare full-width panels cut in one direction per layout. Mixed offcut layouts, pattern matching, shrinkage compensation, and diagonal piecing are not optimized. Add the allowances your quilter or fabric requires.

Standard sizes from crib to California king, with backing and binding yardage for each, are in the quilt size chart. Finishing the edge? The binding calculator counts strips and yardage.

Read the calculation methodology →