Figuring block material
 

If I know how much material is needed for 1 block and the size of the block, how do I figure for how much material for a full size quilt? It is a pinwheel block and is going to be 8 x 8 block. Is there a site that tells how to do this? My quilting supplier tried to show me but it was way too confusing for this ole bird. Thanks!!

I would think all you have to do is multiply the yardage by how many blocks you need.

You need to know how many pieces you can get out of one cut of fabric across the width of fabric. Let's say you are cutting 10 inch squares. Assume your fabric is standard 42/44 wide. You can get 4 out of one cut across the width of fabric. so if you need 50 ten inch blocks you will need to make 13 cuts (4 x 13 = 52 so you will have 2 left over). Each of these cuts is 10 inches wide, so 13 x 10 = 130 inches, or three and three quarter yards. Same math works for any design, but first you need to figure out how many pieces you can get in one cut across the fabric.

There's some helpful charts on several sites on the web, one being Quiltville. Though I usually still do it manually to make sure it's right!

Thanks everyone! Going to go do some figuring by your methods.

A couple of extra hints ...
* be sure you allow for seam allowances ... eg. 10" finished block required 10-1/2" cut!
* buy more than you think you need ... allows for the oops! I calculated wrong or oops! I cut wrong factor!! :)

Better make that three ...
* don't forget ALL fabric that will be needed ... sashings, borders and binding, can too easily get forgotten in initial calculations!

Remember the backing, too.

Is it going to be 2 colors a multi color pinwheel quilt? thats not enough info to determine yardadge. Also is the block 8 inch finished unfinished? Are there going to be borders? How wide will they be?

And are you going to put sashing in between the blocks. In my world I can only get 40 inches of usable fabric because most of it does not come 42-44 inches wide. Unfortunately the manufacturers of fabric keep "cutting" no pun intended, back on the width of their fabric. So take that into consideration. Just a thought