Strip Piecing Calculator
Calculate strip cut width, total strips needed, and fabric yardage for strip-pieced quilting projects.
About this calculator
Strip piecing sews long, full-width-of-fabric strips together into a striped "set," which then gets cross-cut into smaller units for a block pattern — a much faster path to identical pieces than cutting and joining them one at a time. Since a strip sits between two neighbors, both of its long edges need a seam allowance, so this calculator adds your seam allowance twice — once per side — to the finished strip width to get the actual width you cut fabric at. Because strips are cut across the fabric's width (selvage to selvage) and then stacked lengthwise down the bolt, the total fabric length you need is simply each strip's cut width multiplied by how many strips you're cutting in total, which is why the yardage figure scales directly with both strips-per-set and the number of identical sets you're making.
Finished set width — the total width of the sewn-together strip band before it's cross-cut into units — only reflects the finished (post-seam) width of each strip, not the cut width, since seam allowances disappear into the seams once strips are joined. This calculator assumes every strip in a set is cut from separate fabric yardage laid end to end down the bolt; if you're using several different fabrics for the strips in a single set, you'll need to buy each fabric's share of the total yardage separately rather than reading the total figure as one fabric's requirement.
Inputs
Results
Cut Strip Width
2.5 in
Total Strips to Cut
20
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Finished Strip Width, Seam Allowance, and Strips per Set.
- Set Sets Needed.
- Review Cut Strip Width (in) and Total Strips to Cut.
- Use Total Fabric Yards (yd) and Finished Set Width to inform your decision.
- Use the chart to visualize the results and explore different scenarios by adjusting inputs.
How the result changes with Finished Strip Width
| Finished Strip Width | Cut Strip Width | Total Strips to Cut |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.5 in | 20 |
| 1.5 | 2 in | 20 |
| 3 | 3.5 in | 20 |
| 5 | 5.5 in | 20 |
What each input means
- Finished Strip Width
- Desired finished width of each strip in inches.
- Seam Allowance
- Seam allowance on each side of the strip.
- Strips per Set
- Number of strips sewn together in each strip set.
- Sets Needed
- Number of identical strip sets to make.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersFinished Strip Width = 2, Seam Allowance = 0.25, Strips per Set = 5, Sets Needed = 4 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate Cut Strip WidthCut Strip Width2.5 = 2.5
- Calculate Total Strips to CutTotal Strips to Cut20 = 20
- Calculate Total Fabric YardsTotal Fabric Yards1.39 = 1.39
- Calculate Finished Set WidthFinished Set Width10 = 10
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the seam allowance doubled when calculating cut strip width?
A strip in a strip set has two long edges, and each one gets sewn to a neighboring strip, so both edges need their own seam allowance. Adding the seam allowance twice — once per edge — to the finished width gives the true width you need to cut the fabric at before joining, which is standard for any piece with seams on both sides rather than just one.
Does the finished set width include the seam allowances used to join the strips?
No — finished set width is calculated purely from the finished (already-sewn) width of each strip, since the fabric consumed by seam allowances disappears into the seams once the strips are joined and no longer contributes to the visible width. This is the number you'd use to check the strip set is wide enough before cross-cutting it into units.
Why does fabric yardage scale with both strips per set and number of sets?
Every individual strip, across every set you're making, consumes the same length of fabric — its cut width — laid end to end down the bolt. Total fabric needed is therefore each strip's cut width multiplied by the total strip count, which is strips per set times the number of sets, so doubling either factor doubles the total yardage required.
What if I'm using a different fabric for each strip in the set instead of one bolt?
This calculator's total yardage figure assumes one continuous fabric supply cut into all the strips, so if your strip set mixes several different fabrics, you'll need to divide the total strip count by however many strips of each individual fabric a set requires and buy that share separately. The cut strip width and total strip count still apply directly to each fabric's own yardage math.
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