How to Calculate Border Yardage for Quilts

Determine the number of yards needed for a quilt border with simple addition, multiplication and division.

The right border frames a quilt and adds the finishing touch that ties the quilting blocks together. The quilter should complete the blocks forming the center of the quilt, sew them together and press the quilt with an iron before taking measurements for the border. When deciding on the width of the border, remember that the border width should be narrower than the width of a single block in the center to avoid the border from overpowering the quilt's design.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric measuring tape

Instructions

1. Measure the width of the quilt.

2. Multiply the width of the border by two and add this number to the width of the quilt. For example, if the quilt will have a 5-inch border, add 10 to the quilt width measurement to determine the total width of the quilt including the border.

3. Add one additional inch to the total width.

4. Measure the length of the quilt.

5. Multiply the length of the border by two and add the border calculation to the length measurement to calculate the total length of the quilt including the border.

6. Add an additional inch to the total length calculation to provide an additional 1/2-inch on each side for sewing.

7. Add the total length to the total width calculations.

8. Divide the total by 36 to determine the number of yards needed, because 36 inches equals 1 yard.

Tips & Warnings

• Measure the length and the width of the quilt from the center of the quilt rather than along the edges for the most accurate measurement.

• Round measurements up to the nearest inch and the final yardage number up to the nearest whole number to obtain extra material to cover mistakes.

References

• Google Books: The Quilting Bible (pg 88)
• Patchwork Quilt Patterns: Quilt Borders
• Head to Sew: Sewing the Boarders to Your Quilt