Bias Binding Calculator

Use this handy quilt bias binding calculator to calculate how much fabric for continuous bias binding you need.

Required Total Length of Binding *Enter the required total length of binding

Binding Width *Enter the desired width of binding strips

This free online quilting calculator is a basic version of the powerful quilting calculator available in our quilting calculator app – Quilt Geek. It’s designed to give you quick and easy fabric measurements, but for more advanced features and customization, check out our full app!

How To Use The Quilt Bias Binding Calculator?

Wondering how much fabric for bias binding you need? This bias binding calculator will tell you exactly how much fabric you need for your bias binding strips for the continuous bias binding or regular binding strip method.

This bias binding calculator takes into account the exact size of your quilt and the desired binding width, which means you will get an accurate calculation for your project.

To calculate the fabric requirements for your bias binding, the calculator will need information about how long and wide you need your binding to be.

Begin by entering the desired total length of binding. Enter the total length you need for your project including overage, if required. Do not add anything for seam allowances (the calculator will do that for you).

If you’re making a rectangular quilt, you can use the regular straight-grain binding calculator to calculate the required length of binding based on the quilt width, quilt length, and desired overage. Click here to access the regular binding calculator >

Enter the desired width of the binding. This is the width of the binding strip before you iron and sew it on your project. If you don’t enter the desired width of the binding, the default will be used. This is 2 ¼’’ which is our preferred width.

Press CALCULATE to run the calculation.

Reading The Results Of The Backing Fabric Calculator

The calculator provides the following results:

Square size is the length of one side of the starting square of fabric you need to cut the bias binding of the required length and width.
The calculator includes fabric to account for seam allowances (for ¼’’ seams used to join the binding strips together). It also adds some margin to ensure you have adequate fabric for the required binding length.

How to Cut Bias Binding and Join Binding Strips?

With the results you get from the calculator, you can cut the bias binding strips using different methods. The starting square (the calculated result) will be the same no matter which method you decide to use.

All methods are explained step-by-step in our Bias Binding Tutorial:

• How to Cut Bias Binding from a Rectangle or a Square – Basic Method
• How to Cut Bias Binding from a Square –  Quicker Method
• How to Cut Continuous Bias Binding – The Fastest Method

After you cut the binding strips you will need to join them together (unless you use the continuous bias binding method). Learn how to sew bias binding strips together here.

Bias Binding Chart

If you prefer to print out the bias binding calculation we have also created this handy bias binding chart. 

It tells you the starting fabric square needed to cut the required bias binding length for different typical-size quilts. 

It will also help you determine the length of bias binding you can get if you’re starting from a fixed-size starting square (i.e. if using a fat quarter).

So how do you get this chart? Easy! Just sign up for our newsletter and we’ll send you the chart as a welcome gift!