StitchablesStitchablesYardage for backing and batting
Enter your quilt dimensions and fabric width to see how much backing fabric or batting you need.
Mode
Typical: 42" to 44"
Extra on each edge for quilting
Distance from edge to stitch line
Ask your longarm quilter how much overage they want before you shop. Most want 6-8" per side for loading, but some want even more. If you're quilting on your domestic machine, 2-4" is fine. This calculator accounts for whatever overage you enter. Wide backing (108") eliminates piecing entirely — worth it if you find a print you like.
Press backing seams open so they lie flat under the quilting. Offset seams away from center so they don't stack on top of quilt-top seams. If your backing is a directional print, pay attention to seam orientation — a vertical seam on a horizontal print is distracting.
If you prewashed your quilt top fabrics, prewash the backing too. Mismatched shrinkage after the first wash is heartbreaking. And trim your selvages before measuring usable width — they pucker in the seam and throw off your math.
Save your calculations, log fabric purchases, and see your project through to the gallery.
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