Fabric yardage calculator

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Enter the cut size and number of each piece. You'll see how many strips to cut and how much fabric to buy.

InchesCentimetres

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Usable fabric width

PrintAny way roundDirectional (keep upright)

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Worked example

Questions

How do I work out fabric yardage for quilt pieces?

For each piece size, divide the usable fabric width (about 40" for 42" quilting cotton) by the piece size and round down: that is how many fit in one strip. Divide the number of pieces by that and round up to get the number of strips. Multiply by the strip width for total inches, add up every piece size, divide by 36 and round up.

How many 5" squares can I get from a yard of fabric?

A yard is 36" long, so you can cut seven 5" strips. Each strip across 40" usable width gives eight squares: 56 squares from a yard.

Why round down pieces per strip but round up strips?

A part of a piece is no use, so pieces per strip always rounds down. You can't buy part of a strip, so strips always round up. Getting either the wrong way round leaves you short.

What is a directional print?

Fabric with a pattern that has an up and a down, such as trees or words. Pieces must be cut the same way up, so the calculator won't turn them to save fabric. Leave it off for prints that work any way round.

Should I use 40" or 42" as the fabric width?

Quilting cotton is sold as 42" to 44" wide, but after trimming the selvages and squaring up you can rely on about 40". The calculator uses 40" by default; change it if you know your fabric is wider.

Does this include seam allowances?

Enter the cut sizes, which include seam allowances. A 3" finished square is cut at 3½".

Pieces are cut from strips across the width of the fabric. Checked against Quilter's Cache's worked examples and Missouri Star Quilt Co.'s strip calculations, and against an independent calculation for 140 piece sizes.