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How much binding for a 36 × 36 quilt?

Baby size quilt, finished 36″ × 36″.

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3/8 yd
Cut 5 strips 2½″ wide across the width of fabric for 156″ of double-fold binding. Metric: 0.4 m.

How it's worked out

  1. Perimeter: (36 + 36) × 2 = 144″.
  2. Add about 12″ to join the ends and turn the corners: 156″.
  3. Each strip across 42″–44″ fabric gives about 40″ usable, minus ~2½″ for each diagonal join → 37½″ per strip.
  4. 156 ÷ 37½ = 4.16 → 5 strips. 5 × 2½″ = 12 1/2″ → round up to 3/8 yd.

Binding by strip width

Strip widthStripsBuyMetricBias (continuous)
2″ 5 3/8 yd 0.3 m 19 3/4″ square (5/8 yd)
2 1/4″ 5 3/8 yd 0.3 m 21″ square (5/8 yd)
2 1/2″ 5 3/8 yd 0.4 m 22 1/4″ square (5/8 yd)
3″ 5 1/2 yd 0.4 m 24 3/4″ square (3/4 yd)

Bias binding is only needed for curved or scalloped edges; straight-grain strips are fine for square corners.

Same quilt: backing

Backing for a 36 × 36 quilt: 2 1/2 yd of 42″ fabric (2 panels with 1 vertical seam).

Try your own numbers

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