How much fabric for the patches you’re cutting? Enter the cut size and how many you need. You get the strips to cut, the yardage, and how many of your patch fit in a yard: with whole-quilt totals by bed size below.
Your Patches
Size you enter
Cut size is the size of the square under your rotary cutter.
Fine-tune: fabric width
You Need
1yards
56 patches, cut 5 × 5 in
- Patches per strip8
- Strips to cut7 × 5″ deep
- Fabric length35 in
- Yardage1 yd
The Formulas
per strip = ⌊usable width ÷ patch width⌋ · strips = ⌈count ÷ per strip⌉ · yards = strips × patch height ÷ 36Quilters cut in strips: slice a strip the patch’s height off the bolt, then cut patches across it. The strip math is why real yardage runs above a naive area division: part strips still cost a whole strip.
finished size + ½ in = cut size, for plain patches sewn with ¼ in seamsWorked Example
Fifty-six 5 in charm squares from 42 in usable cotton:
- Per strip: ⌊42 ÷ 5⌋ = 8 squares.
- Strips: ⌈56 ÷ 8⌉ = 7 strips, each cut 5 in deep.
- Yardage: 7 × 5 = 35 in → 1 yd. The same 56 squares bought as charm packs: two, with 28 squares spare.
Squares per Yard
Computed by the calculator above: cut sizes, 42 in usable width, one yard (36 in) of fabric.
| Cut square | Per strip | Strips per yard | Squares per yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5″ | 28 | 24 | 672 |
| 2″ | 21 | 18 | 378 |
| 2.5″ | 16 | 14 | 224 |
| 3″ | 14 | 12 | 168 |
| 3.5″ | 12 | 10 | 120 |
| 4″ | 10 | 9 | 90 |
| 4.5″ | 9 | 8 | 72 |
| 5″ | 8 | 7 | 56 |
| 5.5″ | 7 | 6 | 42 |
| 6″ | 7 | 6 | 42 |
| 6.5″ | 6 | 5 | 30 |
| 8″ | 5 | 4 | 20 |
| 10″ | 4 | 3 | 12 |
How to Measure Your Inputs
- Cut vs finished: patterns state one or the other. Finished is the size showing in the sewn quilt; cut adds ¼ in seam allowance on each side. The toggle above converts for you.
- Rectangles: enter width and height separately, the calculator cuts strips at the height and fits the width across, then checks the rotated layout and tells you when turning the patch saves a strip.
- Triangles: HSTs and QSTs carry their own oversizing (⅞ in and 1¼ in): their own calculators handle that; this page prices straight-sided patches.
Assumptions and Defaults
- Yardage rounds up to the next ⅛ yard; strips don’t share patches of other sizes.
- No waste allowance is added. Miscuts happen: many quilters buy a strip’s worth extra.
- Directional prints may rule out the rotated layout the calculator suggests; skip the suggestion when your print has a top.
Fabric Math Questions, Answered
How many 5 inch squares are in a yard of fabric?
A yard of fabric holds fifty-six 5 in squares: eight per 5 in strip across 42 usable inches, with seven strips in 36 inches. The chart above runs the same arithmetic for every common cut size, so you can compare how far a yard goes at each one.
How much fabric do I need for my patch count?
The fabric for a patch count comes from dividing the usable width by the patch width for patches per strip, dividing your count by that for the number of strips, and multiplying the strips by the patch height for inches of fabric. The calculator rounds the result to a buyable ⅛ yard and shows the cutting plan strip by strip.
Should I calculate fabric from the cut size or the finished size?
You should always calculate fabric from the cut size, which for plain squares and rectangles sewn with ¼ in seams is the finished size plus half an inch. A 4½ in finished square, for example, cuts at 5 in.
How many yards of fabric does a whole quilt top take?
A whole quilt top made from plain 10 in blocks takes about 2⅝ yd for a throw, 6¾ yd for a queen, and 9⅝ yd for a king. The quilt calculator breaks any size into blocks, backing, binding, and batting in a single plan.
How do precuts like charm packs, layer cakes, and jelly rolls compare?
Precuts come in standard counts: a charm pack holds 42 five-inch squares, a layer cake 42 ten-inch squares, and a jelly roll 40 strips at 2½ in. Divide your patch count by the pack’s count and round up; precuts cost more per square inch than yardage but save cutting time and add variety.