How to Calculate Backing with Quilt Geek, the Quilting Calculator App

Quilt Math can be a tedious part of the quilting process, but thanks to Quilt Geek, the quilting calculator app by Designed to Quilt, it’s never been easier! Created by today's guest writers, Barbara and Ula, Quilt Geek simplifies the math involved in quilting, saving time and reducing errors. And this week only, the annual subscription is 30% off!

Meet Quilt Geek - Quilting Calculator

This introductory guide will walk you through using Quilt Geek’s free backing calculator to determine exactly how much backing fabric you need for any quilt size, with clear, illustrated results for vertical and horizontal piecing. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced quilter, Quilt Geek offers over 20 calculators and tools to make quilting math hassle-free, allowing you to focus on the creative joy of quilting!

Take it away, Ula and Barbara:

Hi, friends! We’re Barbara and Ula, the quilters behind Designed to Quilt and the creators of the quilting calculator app Quilt Geek. We run a graphic design studio but found our true love in quilts. We created DTQ as a place to explore and share all the quilty things we learn but soon found there’s one area in particular where we can help fellow quilters - quilt math! 🤓

Whether you like it or not, there’s always going to be some math involved in quilting. Even if you follow quilt patterns religiously, chances are you’re going to have to calculate at least binding and backing for your quilt.

And if you ever dabble in pattern design, the quilt math you need to do can get crazy!

Trust us, we know! When we first started writing patterns, we realized immediately there had to be a better way to get all this math done.

That’s how the idea of a quilting calculator mobile app was born. We wanted to create an easy-to-use, affordable, and accessible tool for (beginner and advanced) quilters, pattern designers, and quilt shop owners alike.

You can find the app available here: App Store / Google Play

We created Quilt Geek, the ultimate quilting calculator app, available for both iOS and Android. It features more than 20 quilting calculators and charts, provides illustrated diagrams, and above all accurate calculations for all sorts of quilting needs.

Over 12,000 quilters are now using Quilt Geek to take the stress out of quilt planning.
Which just goes to show how much we needed this in our quilty lives!

In today’s tutorial, we’ll show you how easily you can calculate backing with Quilt Geek’s backing calculator. The backing calculator is one of the free calculators in Quilt Geek - so you can access it even if you don’t opt for a subscription.

Let’s jump right in!

Before you Begin: Download the Quilt Geek app

First, you’ll need to download the app from your app store.

Click here to download Quilt Geek on the Apple App Store

or Click here to download Quilt Geek on Google Play

Install the app on your device. Open the app and follow Quilt Geek’s prompts to create an account and start calculating!

Note: When you open the app, Quilt Geek will offer a free trial or a paid subscription. If you just want to try the backing calculator, you can close the offer as the backing calculator is free and is always unlocked. If you want to explore all the features, you can start a free trial to try out Quilt Geek Premium for free!

Example Quilt

For this example, let’s say we need backing for a large throw quilt 70×90”. We’re using fabric with 42” WOF and want 4” overage on every side of the quilt.

STEP 1: Open the Backing Calculator

In Quilt Geek’s home screen open the backing calculator.

STEP 2: Enter the numbers

Enter the numbers into the calculator. We’ll input:

Quilt width: 70
Quilt length: 90
Width of fabric: 42
Overage: 4

Click CALCULATE and watch the magic happen!

STEP 3: Read the results

Quilt Geek does the math for you for VERTICAL PIECING and HORIZONTAL PIECING with illustrated diagrams. Click on the tabs to toggle between the two calculations.

Let’s look into the results Quilt Geek has provided for our imaginary quilt:

Vertical Piecing

Quilt Geek has calculated that we need to cut two WOF x 98-inch pieces for the backing. This is 5 ½ yds total.

The diagram illustrates how the backing should be pieced - using one vertical seam.

Horizontal Piecing

For horizontal piecing, on the other hand, Quilt Geek calculates that we need to cut three WOF x 78-inch pieces, which is 6 ½ yds. total.

The diagram shows that we’ll need to use two horizontal seams to piece the backing.

In this case, vertical piecing is less wasteful. So unless you want your fabric to run horizontally for some specific reason (i.e. the direction of the print) we’d suggest you use the VERTICAL PIECING option.

STEP 4: Save the calculation

This step is optional, but many Quilt Geek users LOVE it! Click on the SAVE CALCULATION button below the results, name the calculation and Quilt Geek will save it for later.

You can access all your saved calculations from Quilt Geek’s home screen.

That’s it! How easy was that? Quilt Geek takes all the stress out of quilt math. So you can focus on quilting instead!