Quilt Batting Calculator
Find the batting dimensions you need for your quilt top — minimum and recommended sizes.
How to Use the Quilt Batting Calculator
- Enter your finished quilt top width and length in inches.
- Select the overhang amount for each side. More overhang makes quilting easier and gives you room to fix mistakes. 6" per side is the most common recommendation.
- Select the batting shrinkage factor based on the fiber content of your chosen batting.
- Click Calculate Batting to see your minimum and recommended batting dimensions, plus which packaged batting sizes will work for your quilt.
Understanding Batting Overhang
- 4" per side — Minimum for machine quilting on a home machine. Leaves little room for shifting.
- 6" per side — Standard recommendation. Gives you comfortable working room when loading the quilt.
- 8" per side — Best for hand quilting or if using a longarm quilting service. Provides maximum flexibility.
Batting Shrinkage Notes
- Cotton batting can shrink 2–5% when washed. Many quilters pre-wash batting to prevent quilt puckering.
- Polyester batting has virtually no shrinkage and is a good choice if you skip pre-washing.
- The recommended batting size already accounts for the shrinkage percentage you selected.