I just finished a Bento Box quilt and I want to make it a hair larger by adding borders...but Im not sure on how much fabric to buy...the quilt is...54" X 72" and I want to add a 1" border and then a 3 1/2 inch border on the outside...so....how much do you think I need????

Thanks girls...your the best!!

It will depend on whether you want a pieced border or prefer it to be one single strip.

I never thought about that...but lets go with the math for both...incase the perfect border costs too much....(hides under table)

Another question, you want to add a 1" border all the way around and then are you just going to put the 3 1/2 just on either side and not all the way around?

If you don't want joins your first border needs to have a few inches over 2 yards so you can cut the fabric lengthwise. Add the borders to the LONG sides first and then add the top and bottom. You will have a lot of fabric left over from this.

For the outside border you'll need 2 yards plus 6 inches. Again doing it this way there will a considerable amount left over.

To do pieced borders you will need considerably less. And my measurements are generous just incase your quilt is a little over 72" and the first border ends up being a little wider than 1 inch.

No the larger border will go all around the quilt...I just meant the larger one will go on after the smaller one when I put on the outside....

If you are using the length and not piecing, for the 1" you will need 2 1/4 yards, you will have enough in the width.
For the 3 1/2" I would buy 2 1/2 yards, unless you want to cut it close than you could get by with 2 1/4.

If you are going to piece your border, I would buy 1/2 yard for the 1" border that is adding 1/2" for seam allowance, that will give you plenty. I usually don't buy less than 1/2 yard, but that is just me, you might actually get by with just a little over a1/4 yard, but that is if they are exact with their cutting at the store. For the 3 1/2". I would buy a yard. I always add for mistakes.

These sites should help you as well.

http://quiltbug.com/articles/fabric-calculator.htm
http://quilting.about.com/od/stepbys...te_yards_4.htm

This is a great free calculator, but it is not much help if you are piecing your borders. I don't usually piece my borders, sometimes I will put a block in each corner if I don't have quite enough length or actually make a pieced border of triangles, strips or blocks. But it is just a personal preference. Many quilters do not mind having seams in their borders.

http://vrya.net/quilt/flash/QuiltCalc_Loader.html

I don't mind the seams. When it comes down to 1 yard vs 2 1/4 yard, just to avoid seams, I'll take the seams and save the $$ :-D