ConverterHub

Quilt Batting Calculator

Enter your quilt top size and the overhang you want on each side.

How it is calculated

All three inputs are in inches. The overhang is added on both sides of each dimension: batting width = W + 2 × O and batting length = L + 2 × O, where W and L are the quilt top width and length and O is the extra inches on each side. The area is (W + 2O) × (L + 2O) ÷ 1296, in square yards, because one square yard is 36 × 36 = 1296 square inches. Width and length must be above zero and overhang can be zero but not negative. The tool does not add anything for seams, shrinkage or wastage from cutting. Note that the area is in square yards, not in running yards: if batting is sold by the length off a roll, use the batting width and length shown.

Worked example

A quilt top measures 60 inches wide by 80 inches long and you want 4 inches of extra batting on each side. Batting width: 60 + 2 × 4 = 68.00 in. Batting length: 80 + 2 × 4 = 88.00 in. Area: 68 × 88 = 5,984 square inches, and 5,984 ÷ 1,296 = 4.62 yd². Without any overhang the same top would need only 3.70 yd², so the margin adds nearly a square yard.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Entering the overhang as the total extra width instead of the amount per side; the tool doubles it, so 8 would mean 16 inches extra.
  • Entering centimetres, feet or metres; all fields are in inches, so convert first.
  • Confusing square yards with running yards of a roll: a result of 4.62 yd² is an area, not the length of batting to buy.
  • Using the unfinished top size before the seams are pressed and the top is squared; measure the finished top after piecing.
  • Setting the overhang to 0 to save material, then finding the batting too small once quilting pulls the top in.

About this calculator

The formula adds an overhang allowance on every side of the finished quilt top: batting width = top width + (2 × overhang), batting length = top length + (2 × overhang), with total area = width × length. Enter all measurements in inches; the result is given in inches and in square yards. Quilters typically add 4-8 inches per side so the batting and backing extend past the pieced top, giving enough margin for basting, quilting shrinkage, and squaring up the edges after quilting.

Home quilters use this before cutting into a batting roll or piecing together leftover scraps, so they don't come up short mid-project on a bed-size or lap quilt, while quilt shop owners and longarm quilters use the same math to quote how much batting yardage a customer's top will need.

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