Quilt Backing Calculator
Use this for backing fabric only: extra inches for basting and pieced backs when the quilt is wider than the fabric. Quilt-top yardage and binding are separate calculators.
Display only — amounts are not converted between currencies.
Quilt size
Backing yards
4.89
- Fabric cost
- $61.12
Cost breakdown
| Yards | 4.89 |
|---|---|
| Cost | $61.12 |
Printed · Craft Pricing Tools · CraftPricingTools.com
Backing yards
4.89
When to use this calculator
Use this for backing fabric only — the piece behind the quilt, not the pieced top and not binding. Add extra inches for basting, then convert to yards using fabric width. Wider quilts on 42-inch fabric usually need a pieced back.
Wide-back fabric (about 108 in) can drop you back to a single length. Change fabric width to 108 to model that.
How this calculator works
How we calculate backing yardage
- Add extra inches to quilt width and length for basting
- If width + extra ≤ fabric width: yards = (length + extra) / 36
- Else panels = ceil((width + extra) / fabric width), yards = panels × (length + extra) / 36
- Cost = yards × price per yard
Example
Example: 60×80 in quilt on 42 in backing
Extra for basting plus a seam if two lengths are joined. Yardage is more than length/36.
- Wide-back fabric (108 in) can drop you back to a single length.
How much should I charge?
Backing is a cost line. Include it in a finished-quilt price with labor.
Pricing tips
- Change fabric width to 108 to model wide back.
- Add extra if the longarm requires more than 8 inches.
Common mistakes
- Buying exactly the quilt length with no extra.
- Forgetting the joining seam allowance on pieced backs.
FAQ
How much backing fabric do I need?
Add extra inches to length and width, then convert to yards using fabric width. Pieced backs need more than a single length.
Related calculators
- Quilt Fabric Calculator — Estimate quilt-top fabric yardage and cost from finished size.
- Quilt Binding Calculator — Calculate binding strip inches, yards and fabric cost from quilt perimeter.