I never buy enough fabric and have to go back and try to find the same one. Whats an easy way to figure out how much you need for your quilt?

I would like that answer too!

so much of the answer to this question depends on the project. Your questions would have to be more specific as to size and pattern. That probably doesn't feel very helpful. I would suggest having 5 yards of fabric as a minimum for a small quilt. Small as in child's quilt.

When I make a full size quilt, I always plan on having 3-1/2 to 4yds for the backing of the quilt.

As far as for the front, it really depends on the pattern

I'm confused - you have a pattern before you buy the fabric?? Hardly ever works that way for me!!! :lol:

Recently, I'm tending towards quilts with bigger pieces - am starting to begrudge all the fabric in the seams (think of log cabin - you end up with almost 1/3 of your fabric in the seams).

I seem to put together quilts that use five colours most often. When I find a run of fabric that I want to put together, and don't know the exact pattern, I usually get 2 or 3 meters of each. This would also explain the current state of the stash.

About the only way I get anywhere close to having the right amount of fabric for the pattern, is when I see a sample at my LQS, and they have a kit, or buy the pattern and have the fabric requirements right there. But I still but a bit more than the pattern calls for ... even though I measure twice (or thrice!) and cut once, I still do silly things.

To DebraK- Let say i have 180 squares at 5 inches and 4 different colors to buy. I think thats 60x60. My own pattern, just blocks.

I usually don't use patterns, but I just make sure I have certain quantities of colors when I quilt.

argh. I can't do that math right off, right now, and this question is much different than your first. I was speaking in general terms. Sorry if I'm letting you down.

I figure what I need then double it. Having left overs for my stash is a bonus!

You mean they make patterns with real directions and correct fabric amounts ???
What a thought LOL could also explain this stash and why one day will be nothin but scrappies for me :) that's OK like those too.
Sorry didn't anwser your Q, or maybe the anwser is 2-4 yds. of what ever tickles my fancy. OK that could explain the stash also... so does this make me a stasher or a Quilter? Hummm :)

A yard in each color should do.
This is how I do the math.
180squares/4(colors)= 45 squares per color.
I usually use 40" as width. So, 40"/5"= 8 squares.
Which means you can get 8 squares on a 5" strip (selvage to selvage).
Now you calculate how many strips you need to make 45.
45/8=5.6 round this up to 6. So 6 x 5"=30" which is 30/36= 0.83 yard
which you round up to 1 yard and you get a little extra for stash or insurance. See?

I just buy alot of each fabric and if I am using a color that I'm using alot to be dominate. I double the amount of it...and Yes its a stash builders method...but thats okay with me

go to joanns with a 40 or 50 percent coupon and buy the fabri-calc. it really works.

Or if you have an iPhone they have several free apps that allow you to calculate :) but with either option you do have to have an idea of what your finished product will be and like someone said on here, I rarely buy fabric specifically for a project ... My projects normally pick from my fabrics :)

I usually eyeball it, and over purchase. The fabric calc is a good suggestion. I'm assuming you don't have Electric Quilt or another design program...it's just another benefit if you do because you can draw up your quilt before hand in the exact size and it will figure yardage for you.

4 different colors doesn't have to mean 4 different fabrics.

Why can't it be 5 different fabrics of the same color/value? But the texture of the prints is different, giving some life to the pattern. So you're using 20 different fabrics. It really doesn't cost much more as your buying FQ's instead of yardage.

And this way you never "run out" of a particular fabric. If you're short because you want more blocks, you just buy another FQ of the same color. As long as they're spread out on the quilt top, it will look fabulous.

And it always makes for a much more interesting quilt.

Heh. It's pretty rare that I buy fabric for a plan in mind. I buy the fabric and then make up a plan based on what I have when I start pulling from my stash. LOL

This is REALLY cool!
David
http://vrya.net/quilt/classic.php

And here's another calculator. :)
http://www.blockcentral.com/calculators.shtml

The quilter's pocket reference by Peggy Scholley is great for a yardage reference.

I dont always know what to buy either, for border. I always get 3 yds.

I bought some black and cream butterflies from Hobby Lobby about two yrs back not knowing what I would do with it. Turns out the fabric is created exclusively for them, and when my daughter was helping me pick out her backing for a king quilt, I went back and bought five more yds. I dont think even that is going to be enough.

Proplem: The cream color in the newer batch is not the same as the older fabric. I had to tea dye it yesterday. Not a problem since I am doing a "quilt as you go" and am cutting the fabric into blocks. Said all that to say this: try to get your fabric all at one time. The dye lots will be different.

There are several fabric calculators online that you can find through a search.
There is also a device that you can buy in some quilt shops. I believe it is called FabricCalc, but it is $48.

I like scrappy quilts so I use a bit of a LOT of different fabrics. I usually only need to worry about having enough background, border fab and backing, because the rest is all scraps.

Here's a list of approximately how many pieces of each size you can cut from an 18" x 21" fat quarter:
90 2" squares or

50 2 ½” squares or

42 3" squares or

30 3 ½” squares or

20 4" squares or

16 4 ½” squares or

12 5" squares or

12 5 ½” squares or

9 6" squares or

I use my Fabri-Calc all the time and usually find it accurate. Sometimes, though, I have to improvise because I didn't buy enough of something. That usually ends up to the good and ends up with a scrappy look I like.

Well, 180 (total squares) divided by 4 (different colors) is 45 squares of each color.

For fabric that is 40-44 inches wide (selvage to selvage) that is 40 (inches) divided by 5 (inch squares) = 8 squares per 5 inch strip.

45 (total squares) divided by 8 (squares per strip) = 5.6 strips, lets say 6 strips.

Then 6 strips x 5 inches each = 30 inches. Add enough for straightening the edges and to be safe get 1 yard of each color.

Does that make sense to you? It's easy if you just sit down and think about each step.

This little drill works for me:
1) Decide the size of the quilt & figure the backing. EX: a crib size (45x60) would require about 3 yards for backing & binding.
2) Gather the fabrics for the top and buy enough of each to total the yardage of the backing fabric. EX: for 6 different fabrics in the top, I'd buy about a half yard of each---a total of 3 yards.
Of course, I make mental adjustments according to the pattern, but the total yardage in the top should be AT LEAST as much fabric as the backing. As others have said, buying a quarter yard extra here and there is how scrap stashes are created!

That is a great idea for the backing the problem is I usually end up trying to use all of the fabric and I end up with a bigger quilt than what I had planned.

I say just buy the whole bolt...LOL

If I don't have a pattern yet and I like the fabric, I buy at least 2 yards!

I did exactly this, but now I need to go to university to figure out how to use it!

i don't always use a written pattern. even when i do I buy a bit more than required in case I mess up(calls for 5/8yd, I buy 1). if i'm using 5" blocks, for ex. i figure how many I need, how many I can get out of a yard. It gets trickier the more complex the block. there are fabric calculaters available but I have never tried one.

Yes I use my EQ also. But if I am just buying because I like it and probable will use it in a quilt later on I buy minimum of 3 yards,4 prob would be better.lol. I have 2 in mind with a black bg so I bought 9 yards of black.

What's Wrong with me!!!! I don't measure amounts, don't use a printed pattern hardly ever, and I just do a sketch from a picture or an idea brewing from a piece of fabric in my "stash". Never used that word until I saw this forum!
It's sort of of a play, cut and sew. I have some quilts that I like and some that are great for charity! But I very seldom buy material, just inherit from others or use things that are donated to our sewing group. leftover squares make pillow covers, book covers, pin cushions, table runners, crazy quilts. Maybe all my things should come under the name of crazy, but I enjoy it all. Hope this might help some quilters to loosen up and take a chance! You only come this way once (I think) so enjoy it!

I do it like this, too, but rounding up to a yard just leaves a 6 inch strip (or 2 more narrow strips if the fabric wasn't cut true to the grain and had to be squared...) so I'd round up a bit more to make sure I had a usable size piece for insurance or stash.

Thank you for this cool site. Very easy to use.

Thanks for all the ideas, it has helped a lot!

The pattern and size has to dictate the needs. That said ... my practice is ... if I see a fabric I just love, I buy twice what i think I need and if I see one I love that is on closeout, I buy all there is. Thankfully my DW doesn't mind and frequently buys some she wants me to use.

Friends call me the puzzle queen, and maybe it's because I'm a sucker for punishment, but figuring out the pattern with available fabric is part of the fun of quilting. It's good to have enough focus fabric if it's being featured, but when one fabric doesn't quite make it, I go back to the drawing board and re-work the pattern to see what I can do to make things work. I will confess, though, this is less fun when I'm doing a backing. By that stage of the quilt, I generally want it DONE, and having to piece the back because I don't have enough of what I wanted to use can be a pain.

If I'm buying for a pattern, I always pre-calculate how much fabric is needed and buy slightly more, usually rounding up to the next metre.

When I see fabric that I love,on sale I usually buy 5yds. If not on sale usually 3.