Formula for figuring out binding?
 

I have my very first quilt that I ever did about 10 years ago and a friend quilted it for me before I started quilting. The only thing she didn't do was add binding. I'd like to make my binding and put it on so I can use my quilt. How do I determine how much fabric I need? Is there a formula?

I'm thinking I would measure my quilt on all 4 sides and add that together and then times that number by the inches I want my binding to get how much fabric I need? How close am I?

I measure all four side then add 15 to 20 inches since I do mitered corners and I also like to have the binding meet in the middle for the connection to be slanted. I cut my binding to be 2.5 wide, then folded in half so the binding it double thick. You need to decide if you want your binding to be connected with a straight edge or slanted to avoid bulk that will take a couple extra inches per connection.

Your close...you add up the four sides of fabric and that gives you your total length of binding...add a few more inches for all your connecting points.

Do you do your binding on the bias or using WOF? I use WOF...so once I have my total length I divide it by how many inches in a metre of fabric...so about 40 inches. That tells me how many WOF lengths I need...then I just determine how wide my binding is to be. I like a 2 1/4 inch binding, folded. So to be sure I have enough fabric to square out the cut edges I round up to 2.5 inches.

As an example, if I've determined I need 5 WOFs...I multiply that by 2.5. Which would be 12.5 inches of fabric length I would need.

If I've determined I need 10 WOFs...x 2.5 = 25 inches of length of fabric.

Does that make sense?

Here is an online calculator. There are calculators for nearly everything...Google is a wonderful thing!

http://www.quiltersparadiseesc.com/C...Calculator.php

you measure the sides of the quilt- add about 20" extra to miter your corners-have enough to join the ends-
measure the width of the binding fabric (figuring here about 40") so...if your quilt measures 100" square- you would need 420" of continuous binding.
if your fabric is 40" wide you would need 11 strips (10 1/2)
if you cut your binding strips 2 1/2" wide you would need 27 1/2" of fabric
use the same method with your actual measurements. :)

Lets say your quilt is 90"x108". Measure around which is 396" Add 20 inches for corners and overaps and joining That is then 416". Then measure the width of your fabric - say 42". Divide 42 into 416 and you get 9.9 strips or 10 strips. Then multiple the 10 by the width of your strips - lets say you will cut at 2.5".
2.5" x 10 = 25" of fabric. I would add an inch or two in order to straighten up the fabric.

I just measure length and width then use an on line calculator like Katier825.

I feel so lost. Reading most of the above almost seemed like trying to read Greek. (I'm a hands on girl..and need to do it over and over to actually learn it.) :shock:

I've only made two quilts and I did the same 3 inch binding on both. The fabric store calculated how much fabric I would need for binding, but I wanted to know how to do it myself. For the two quilts I've already done, I cut three inch strips and sewed them together on a diagonal then pressed in half before sewing onto the quilt and then folding over and doing a blind stitch (?) to hand stitch it on. I found a tutorial on youtube on how to connect it diagonal at the ends. :)

I will measure my blanket to see what I come up with.

WOW~! what a great tool. I have bookmarked it!

I usually just quess, if too much, I save the extras for scrappy quilts. For the size quilts I normally make I cut 9 strips - 2 1/2 inches wide and as long as the width of fabric is - selvage to selvage. If I am follwing a pattern, I cut as many strips as it says. Three inches would be way too big, 2-1/2" wide should be good enough - fold in half and press.