For guidance on figuring yardage, this is what I do. Figure the size of a queen size quilt to be approx. 80 x100". Fabric is around 40" or so wide, and 3 yards is 108". So you would need 6 yards to make a single color quilt top. Then decide how many colors you are going to use, and which color is going to be predominant, and then divide that 6 yards by the number of colors you will use. Most patterns give the yardages, but I am also a "fly by the seat of my pants person", so I usually figure at least 2 yards of each color, and more for sashing, borders or background. Now this is definitely not scientific, but it works for me. You will always have extra, for errors in cutting, and to use for accents on the backing.