I am new to this message board. I always end up buying too much fabric. How do you all try to buy the right amount. Is there a good calculator to use?
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I am new to this message board. I always end up buying too much fabric. How do you all try to buy the right amount. Is there a good calculator to use?
Not sure what you really mean by the right amount. But if you are following a pattern, they usually have yardage amounts. If I don't have a specific pattern, yardage amounts will also depend on the size of the quilt I'm making. Anyway, any "extra" fabric goes into my stash for future quilts.Originally Posted by Quiltaria
ETA: there is an app called Quilt Calc that also might be of some help. I have it on my phone and kindle fire. You could calculate, backing & binding yardage as well as border yardage.
Last edited by Sync; 01-29-2015 at 09:55 PM.
ok I didn't know you could buy too much fabric. hehehe Thats where my stash came from. hehe sure didn't mean to sound like a smarty pants just kiddin around
Stitching is Meditation in Motion
If I am using a pattern I usually buy the specified yardage or a little over to allow for shrinkage or errors. If I am making up my design, I go through the math to determine the amount of fabric needed for a block--then multiply that out based upon the size of the quilt I am going to make. It might help to make a sample block first to get the amount of fabric needed, then multiply that by the number of blocks. Then calculate the amount for borders (if any). I cut binding strips 2 1/4" wide and based upon the finished size you can calculate the amount of yardage based upon the number of strips needed. Lastly the backing. I don't usually buy backing until I am done with the quilt top and see what scraps and extra blocks I have left and piece those together first, then buy enough backing fabric to get the right size.
I guess there is no easy way without lots of figuring if you don't have a pattern to give you yardage. Most of us must over buy or we wouldn't have so much stash!!
Oh I forgot to mention that Robert Kaufman had a free quilt calculator app that you can download on your phone that you might find helpful in estimating yardages.
I love this app!
I usually buy 1/2 - 3/4 yd over what I need - anticipating a mistake (who, me?????????????). Then I always have a little bit left over for the next quilt or making a multi-colored binding. I cut my binding 2-1/2" and my borders I cut 4-1/2". Then I buy two or more yards (yah, the mistake thing)! But down the line, it'll all get used. I tried something different on my last quilt. I bought some charm packs - 5" and did the border in those squares. There are 42 squares per pack and I used 50 something. Turned out great. Then if there is some squares left over you can use them for something else. For what it's worth, I always buy more than I need, because I don't want to run out in the middle of a quilt and not get the same dye lot. I had that problem once - just once. Have a good day. Edie
Home is where the rags of your life are turned into quilts, lemons become lemonade and a few extra pounds are simply welcomed as "more of you to love."
I am so confused. I don't know if I found a rope or lost my horse."
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I always get at least a mim of 1/2 yd more than the pattern calls for. All my fabric gets washed before I cut for a new quilt pattern. This extra allows for any shrinkage that may happen.
If I don't have a pattern in mind but love a fabric, I buy 2 yards. That's usually long enough to cut borders or use for a small quilt back.
Too much fabric. Is there such a thing as too much fabric? LOL
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