QuickCheckTools

Quilt border calculator

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Enter your quilt top size and border width to get the strip lengths, how many strips to cut and how much fabric to buy.

Worked example

A 48" × 56" quilt top with a 5" butted border (Missouri Star Quilt Co.'s published example):

  1. Side strips: 56 + ½ = 56½" each, 113" for both.
  2. Top and bottom: 48 + ½ + 5 + 5 = 58½" each, 117" for both.
  3. Total 230". 230 ÷ 40 = 5.75, round up to 6 strips.
  4. Cut 6 strips 5½" wide: 33" of fabric, so 1 yard. The quilt finishes at 58" × 66".

Questions

How do I calculate fabric for a quilt border?

Measure the quilt top through the middle. For butted borders, the side strips are the quilt length plus ½" for seams, and the top and bottom strips are the quilt width plus ½" plus both side borders. Add all four, divide by 40" and round up for the number of strips, then multiply by the cut strip width (border width plus ½") and divide by 36" for yards.

What is the difference between butted and mitered borders?

Butted borders sew the sides on first, then the top and bottom across them. Mitered borders meet at a 45° seam in each corner, so every strip runs the full outside edge of the quilt plus a few inches to trim, which uses more fabric.

Why measure the quilt through the middle?

The edges of a quilt top stretch as you handle it. Measuring through the middle, or averaging three measurements, gives borders that keep the quilt square and flat.

Can I cut borders along the length of the fabric?

Yes. Cutting along the length means no joins in the border, but you need a piece as long as your longest strip. The calculator shows that amount too.

How much fabric for a 5 inch border?

For a 48" × 56" quilt top, a 5" butted border needs 230" of strips: 6 strips cut 5½" wide, which is 33" of fabric, so 1 yard.

Does this work for more than one border?

Yes: work out the first border, then enter the new, bigger quilt size for the next one. The finished size is shown in the result.

Assumes strips cut across 42" quilting cotton, 40" usable (102cm usable in metric), ¼" seams. Mitered strips include 2" at each end to trim. Checked against published examples from Missouri Star Quilt Co., GE Quilt Designs and National Quilters Circle.