How much backing for a quilt

Quilts are not only the perfect project for upcycling leftover fabric, but they're also a beautiful gift. You can use the quilting technique on clothes like skirts , and jackets. The only thing that limits you when quilting is your imagination To make a quilt, you need three fabric layers: top, batting, and backing. We leave making the top to you and your artistic vision.

Our quilt calculator will help you determine how much fabric you need for quilt backing and batting. Don't worry, it's not magic. We will explain in the text how to calculate backing for a quilt on your own. Batting , the middle of the quilt sandwich , is responsible for warmth and weight of the quilt.

Batting fabric is usually white or cream and made of polyester, cotton, wool, or bamboo. Each of the materials has its own properties: stiffness, thickness, washing guidelines, and stitching parameters. So, choose your desired backing fabric, taking into account the quilt top design and the quilt's purpose. Afterward, use our quilt calculator to find out how much yardage you need. Now, let's go to the bottom layer - the backing.

Depending on your design, you can make it with one fabric, or more. Some quilters make their quilts two-sided. By using patchwork, applique, and other quilting techniques, the backing becomes a second top.

Our quilt backing calculator tells you how much fabric you need for a simple one-fabric backing. The fabric for quilt backing can be either directional or non -directional. If the material is directional, it means that it matters how you arrange one piece with relation to another. For example, below you can find a directional fabric, because you usually would want all the flamingos in the same direction. If you're using a non-directional fabric, it doesn't matter how you place the pieces.

Like on this fabric, where all the symbols are placed randomly. Although usually not displayed, the quilt backing fabric doesn't have to be plain! Alternatively, you can make a reversible quilt. For this, use another quilt top for the backing. On this note, machine quilting is the safest option as it gives a lot of seam allowances in the two quilt tops. You should sew the pieces together across the long edges.

Use different configurations for the purpose. For small quilts having either length or width of fewer than 34 inches, you need to select a single piece measuring around 42 inches for the backing. The width covers the 34 inches and extra 8 inches.

If seams are required, you will have to decide whether you want it vertical or horizontal on the quilt back. And when the quilt is inches wide, then the horizontal seams may save on the yardage.

When you choose a wider quilt than 60 inches, use one or two seams vertical and piece your quilt backing. For this, you will require adding 8 inches to both the width and length of your quilt top. Thus, the back requires getting pieced properly. So, divide 71 inches by 40 inches, which is equal to 1. After this, round up the nearest whole number! It comes down to two lengths of fabric that one can create for the back. Then, convert it to yards! This comes down to around inches.

To ensure everything goes according to the plan, ensure buying extra yardage. Fabric selvages may create little puckers along the length. The thread count is much higher in sheeting than in common quilting fabric. The tighter weave causes the needle to break the sheet's threads when it pierces through, rather than pushing between the threads as it does with quilting fabric. It leaves holes and diminishes the stability of the sheet. Sew the pieces together along a pair of long edges.

Press the seam allowances open. Download chart. First, figure out your backing yardage based on the size of your quilt top. You can piece together backing fabric using horizontal and vertical seams and using different configurations, so following the guide below will help you figure out which way uses the least amount of fabric for your preferred piecing method. For a very small quilt that has either a width or length of less than 34", you can use a single piece of 42"-wide fabric for the backing.

This width will cover the 34" dimension plus the additional 8". If your quilt top is wider or longer than the width or length of your backing fabric, you will need to piece the backing.

If seams are necessary, you need to decide whether your want them to be horizontal or vertical on the back of the quilt.