The Quilter's Retreat Yardage Calculator
and Cutting Diagrams Tool✂️
Welcome to your new favorite quilt-sidekick.
This free tool helps you calculate fabric yardage and gives you a cutting diagram — because quilting math shouldn't require a calculator and a coffee refill.
Just pop in how many pieces you need, the width of each strip (that’s the width of the cut from selvedge to selvedge), and the length of each piece — either as a number (in inches) or just type WOF if your piece goes the full width of fabric (typically 42").
Be sure to enter the unfinished size of your piece! That means you should include seam allowances — usually that’s ¼" on each side. So if your finished piece will be 2" x 51", you’ll want to enter 2.5" width and 51.5" length into the calculator. It’s always better to plan a little extra than to come up short!
I’ll do the math for you and tell you exactly how many strips to cut and how much fabric to get, with a little overage added for safety — because fabric shrinkage and cutting mistakes are real, y’all. 🧷
And let’s be honest... you weren’t leaving the store with just a yard anyway. 🧷
P.S. This calculator is best for quilters who like building blocks from consistent strip sizes — like 2.5", 3", or 5" strips — and need to estimate how much to buy from the bolt.
Enter the fabric name, color, and/or SKU to help identify it at the store.
Standard quilting cotton is typically 42-44" wide. Adjust if your fabric is different.
Estimated Yardage (rounded to nearest 1/4 yard)
Minimum yardage needed: 0 yards
Recommended with 10% overage: 0 yards
Calculation Breakdown
All yardage values are rounded up to the nearest 1/4 yard increment, as typically sold in quilt shops.
Cutting Diagram
Note: Each colored rectangle represents a strip cut across the full width of fabric (WOF). Colors differentiate piece sets. The horizontal dimension shows the width of each strip. Horizontal lines indicate where to cut each piece from the strip. Gray areas at the end of strips represent waste fabric that is unneeded or is too small for additional pieces in this set.
🧵 Generated using The Quilter’s Retreat Yardage Calculator https://TheQuiltersRetreat.Store
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate based on the information provided. It assumes whole strips for each piece set and rounds yardage to the nearest 1/4 yard increment as typically sold in quilt shops. Actual fabric requirements may vary based on:
- Fabric shrinkage during pre-washing (if you prewash)
- Cutting precision and methods
- Pattern-specific requirements
- Directional prints that require special handling
Always purchase a little extra fabric for safety. Happy quilting!
This tool is provided by The Quilter’s Retreat for personal use only. Reproduction, redistribution, or modification for commercial purposes without permission is prohibited. © 2025 The Quilter’s Retreat Store.
💖 This free tool is brought to you by The Quilter’s Retreat — where quilting is cozy, colorful, and just a little bit cheeky.
✨ Explore quilting tees, fabric panels, and more at https://TheQuiltersRetreat.Store
P.S. If this tool helped you, give it a little love by sharing it with your quilting circle 💌
This calculator provides an estimate and is for fun and informational purposes only. This calculator assumes whole strips for each "piece set" entered. Always double-check your calculations and consider your specific cutting methods. No liability is assumed for fabric shortages or overages.
Happy quilting!
By using it, you agree to our Terms of Use.
Copyright © 2025 The Quilter’s Retreat. All rights reserved.