Quilt Border Calculator
On a 150 × 200 cm quilt a 6 cm border needs two side strips of 200 cm and two top-and-bottom strips of 150 + 12 = 162 cm, since the sides are already attached — 724 cm together. A second 10 cm border goes round the enlarged 162 × 212 cm top: sides of 212 and top and bottom of 182 each, another 788 cm, for 1,512 cm in all. The quilt finishes 182 × 232 cm.
Your numbers
Border strip length
1,512cm
Strips to cut
15
Fabric needed
140cm
Width with borders
182cm
Length with borders
232cm
Formula
Border strip length = 2 × (Quilt width + Quilt length + 2 × Border width) + 2 × (Quilt width + Quilt length + 4 × Border width + 2 × Second border width)
Cut the outer border to the unbordered measurement and it falls short by the inner border width at every corner. This works in the sides-first order; if you attach top and bottom first, swap the width and length. Fabric is figured at the finished width plus two 1/4 in seams (1.2 cm) — if the two borders are different fabrics, split the strip count between them.
What to enter
| Input | Default | Accepted range |
|---|---|---|
| Quilt width (cm)The finished quilt across, once bound. | 150 | 1 and up |
| Quilt length (cm)The finished quilt along, once bound. | 200 | 1 and up |
| Border width (cm)The border's finished width; it lands on both edges, so the quilt grows by twice this. | 6 | 0 and up |
| Second border width (cm)The finished width of a second round outside the first; zero means a single border. | 10 | 0 and up |
| Fabric width (cm)The fabric width; if it is sold folded, enter the opened width. | 107 | 10 and up |
Step by step
Quick reference table
Results when only Quilt width (cm) changes and everything else stays put.
| Quilt width (cm) | Border strip length (cm) | Strips to cut | Fabric needed (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | 1,212 | 13 | 121.6 |
| 113 | 1,364 | 14 | 128.8 |
| 150 | 1,512 | 15 | 140 |
| 225 | 1,812 | 18 | 165.6 |
| 300 | 2,112 | 21 | 195.2 |
What each result means
| Result | At default values |
|---|---|
| Border strip length (cm)Total strip length to cut for the borders, including what the corners add. | 1,512 |
| Strips to cutStrips to cut across the fabric width. | 15 |
| Fabric needed (cm)Fabric length to buy, along the grain rather than across. | 140 |
| Width with borders (cm)The width once every border is on, before binding. | 182 |
| Length with borders (cm)The length once every border is on — size the backing and batting from this. | 232 |
Common mistakes
Cut the outer border to the unbordered measurement and it falls short by the inner border width at every corner. This works in the sides-first order; if you attach top and bottom first, swap the width and length. Fabric is figured at the finished width plus two 1/4 in seams (1.2 cm) — if the two borders are different fabrics, split the strip count between them.
Glossary
- Quilt width
- The finished quilt across, once bound.
- Quilt length
- The finished quilt along, once bound.
- Border width
- The border's finished width; it lands on both edges, so the quilt grows by twice this.
- Second border width
- The finished width of a second round outside the first; zero means a single border.
- Fabric width
- The fabric width; if it is sold folded, enter the opened width.
- Border strip length
- Total strip length to cut for the borders, including what the corners add.
- Strips to cut
- Strips to cut across the fabric width.
- Fabric needed
- Fabric length to buy, along the grain rather than across.
- Width with borders
- The width once every border is on, before binding.
- Length with borders
- The length once every border is on — size the backing and batting from this.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How is Quilt Border Calculator calculated?
Border strip length = 2 × (Quilt width + Quilt length + 2 × Border width) + 2 × (Quilt width + Quilt length + 4 × Border width + 2 × Second border width) — On a 150 × 200 cm quilt a 6 cm border needs two side strips of 200 cm and two top-and-bottom strips of 150 + 12 = 162 cm, since the sides are already attached — 724 cm together. A second 10 cm border goes round the enlarged 162 × 212 cm top: sides of 212 and top and bottom of 182 each, another 788 cm, for 1,512 cm in all. The quilt finishes 182 × 232 cm.
Q. Can you walk through an example?
With Quilt width 150cm, Quilt length 200cm, Border width 6cm, Second border width 10cm, Fabric width 107cm, the answer is Border strip length 1,512cm.
Q. What do I need to enter?
Enter Quilt width, Quilt length, Border width, Second border width, Fabric width. The result recalculates as you type, and an empty box counts as zero.
Q. How much does the answer move if I change a number?
Changing only Quilt width (cm) moves the answer to Quilt width (cm) 75 → Border strip length (cm) 1,212 and Quilt width (cm) 300 → Border strip length (cm) 2,112. The table below lays out five steps.
Q. How are the numbers rounded?
Money is shown to the nearest whole unit, percentages to one decimal place and everything else to two. What you see is rounded; the calculation itself carries the unrounded value forward.
Q. Anything to watch out for?
Cut the outer border to the unbordered measurement and it falls short by the inner border width at every corner. This works in the sides-first order; if you attach top and bottom first, swap the width and length. Fabric is figured at the finished width plus two 1/4 in seams (1.2 cm) — if the two borders are different fabrics, split the strip count between them.
Related calculators
Materials differ in density and absorption. If your label states a figure, use it — the defaults here are only common values.