Quilt Batting Calculator
Zero Waste & No Sign-up: Calculate the exact batting size needed for your quilt. Enter quilt dimensions, overage allowance, and batting roll width to find required size and whether joining is needed.
How to Use the Batting Calculator
Enter the quilt top width and height, the overhang you want on each side, and the roll width your batting is sold in — 90, 96, or 120 inches are the standard options. The tool reports the batting dimensions to cut and how much length to buy off the roll.
The batting must be larger than the quilt top on every side, so the calculator adds the overhang twice to each dimension: a 60 x 80 inch top with a 4-inch overhang needs a 68 x 88 inch batt. If the needed width fits within the roll, you simply buy one length equal to the batting height.
When the batting width exceeds the roll width, the tool flags that seaming is required and computes the number of panels and the total length to purchase. A 98-inch-wide queen batt needs two panels from a 90 or 96 inch roll but only one from a 120-inch roll — often the cheaper choice once you double the panel length.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size batting do I need for a queen quilt?
With the standard 4-inch overhang per side, a 90 x 108 inch queen top needs a 98 x 116 inch batt. That width fits only the 120-inch roll in one piece; a 90 or 96 inch roll requires two panels joined edge to edge.
How much overhang does batting need?
Most longarm quilters request 4 inches per side — 8 inches added to each dimension — so enter 4 in the overhang field if your quilt is headed to a frame. Quilting on a domestic machine you can use less, but keep at least a couple of inches on every side.
Can I join leftover batting pieces?
Yes. Butt the trimmed straight edges together without overlapping and join them with a wide zigzag stitch or fusible batting tape. The calculator's panel count tells you how many joins a given roll width implies.