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    Old 01-29-2015, 09:34 PM
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    Default How do you....

    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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    Old 01-29-2015, 09:49 PM
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    Originally Posted by Quiltaria
    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.

    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.
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    Old 01-29-2015, 10:04 PM
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    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!!
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    Old 01-29-2015, 10:08 PM
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    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.
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    Old 01-29-2015, 10:25 PM
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    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.
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    Old 01-29-2015, 10:42 PM
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    Too much fabric. Is there such a thing as too much fabric? LOL
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    Old 01-30-2015, 02:32 AM
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    If you are designing your own, not following a pattern draw your quilt out on graph paper, then you can identify each fabric & figure out your yardage, it is always better to have a bit extra than to not have enough. With extra if you make a mistake, or figured wrong you will probably be OK, if not enough you may not be able to find the fabric again by the time you find out.
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    Old 01-30-2015, 02:52 AM
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    Welcome from western NY and happy quilting
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    Old 01-30-2015, 03:36 AM
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    If I am using a pattern, I buy what is specified. I don't worry about leftovers. They just go into my stash for use on a later project. If I just like the material, I buy at least two yards.
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    Old 01-30-2015, 03:37 AM
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    Originally Posted by Jeanne S
    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!
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