Quilt Border Calculator
Cut straight, butt-joined borders one layer at a time and estimate the strip length to buy.
Calculator
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Result
- Finished size
- 46 in (116.84 cm) × 66 in (167.64 cm)
- Purchase
- 5/8 yd (0.625 yd). Exact length 0.5833 yd, rounded up to the next 0.125 yd.
Borders are straight and butt-joined, with side borders attached before the top and bottom.
Cut strip width is the finished border width plus seam allowance on both long edges.
Cut length equals the finished attachment length. Extra squaring length is not added unless you include it in the sizes yourself.
Strips cut across the width of fabric are joined with the strip join allowance you enter. A suggested start is twice the seam allowance. Mitered corners are not calculated.
Each border is planned as its own strip set. Borders are not nested into one shared cutting layout.
Cut / purchase plan
Border1
Cut width3.5 in (8.89 cm)
Side length60 in (152.4 cm)
Top/bottom length46 in (116.84 cm)
Strips6
Fabric length21 in (53.34 cm)
| Border | Cut width | Side length | Top/bottom length | Strips | Fabric length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.5 in (8.89 cm) | 60 in (152.4 cm) | 46 in (116.84 cm) | 6 | 21 in (53.34 cm) |
How this calculation works
Each border is its own finished width. Cut strip width is that finished width plus seam allowance on both long edges.
Side strips are cut to the current height. After they are added, the top and bottom strips are cut to the new width. The quilt then grows by twice the border width in both directions.
The four strip lengths are added and pieced across the usable width. Each join consumes the strip join allowance you enter. A suggested start is twice the seam allowance.
Worked example
40 by 60 in center, one 3 in finished border, 1/4 in seams
Cut strip width is 3.5 in. Side strips are 60 in. After the sides, the top and bottom strips are 46 in.
The finished quilt becomes 46 by 66 in.
The combined strip length needs six 42 in widths when each join loses 1/2 in. Fabric length is 21 in, which rounds up to 5/8 yd.
Assumptions and limitations
- Borders are straight and butt-joined, sides first.
- Cut length equals the finished attachment length. Add your own extra if you want length for squaring.
- Each border is planned separately rather than nested into one cutting diagram.
- Mitered borders are not calculated.
- A single shared border width plus a border count is not used, because each layer can differ.
Common questions
Can each border be a different width?
Yes. Add a layer for each finished width. The next layer starts from the size after the previous border.
Does this calculator miter the corners?
No. The cut lengths are for butt-joined borders with side strips sewn first.