Calculator
Turn on JavaScript to use the calculator, or multiply width by length by the rate as shown below.
How the math works
| Step | Formula | Example: 60 × 72 in at 2¢ |
|---|---|---|
| Square inches | width × length | 60 × 72 = 4,320 |
| Quilting | square inches × rate | 4,320 × $0.02 = $86.40 |
| Minimum | pay the larger of the two | $86.40 if the minimum is $40 |
| Binding | 2 × (width + length) × rate per inch | 264 in × your rate |
| Total | quilting + binding + batting + thread + other |
Measure the top yourself, flat, through the middle in both directions, and round up to the next inch. Quilters measure the top, not the backing. Rates are often quoted in cents (2¢) or dollars ($0.02); they're the same number. Enter cents here.
What shops actually charge
We don't know your quilter's price, and rates vary by region and by design. For a sense of the range, here are three published price lists, read in October 2026:
| Shop | Edge-to-edge rate | Minimum | Included or extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Passions (Chesaning, Michigan) | 2¢ per sq in; 1.5¢ for a meander; custom quilting $25 an hour | $40 | 80/20 batting sold by size; trimming $10 |
| Gather Here | 3¢ per sq in (4¢ for T-shirt quilts) | $75 ($100 for T-shirt quilts) | Thread included; batting extra; binding services 10¢ to 30¢ per inch |
| Missouri Star | 3¢ per sq in standard; 5¢ priority | Batting and standard thread included; machine binding 25¢ per inch, hand binding 60¢ |
So 1.5¢ to 3¢ per square inch covers the edge-to-edge prices on these three lists, and the calculator's comparison table uses that span. These are three shops, not a survey; custom quilting, where the quilter designs the stitching for your top block by block, is usually priced higher or by the hour. Ask your quilter for their current list. Prices change, and the figures above may be out of date by the time you read this.
Notice what each rate includes. Missouri Star's 3¢ includes batting; Gather Here's 3¢ doesn't. On a 60 × 72 quilt, the batting can be a big part of the difference, so compare totals, not rates.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Choose edge-to-edge quilting (also called all-over or pantograph). One design across the whole quilt is the lowest rate on every list above.
- Bring your own batting if the shop allows it, and buy it on sale.
- Bind it yourself. At 25¢ an inch, machine binding on a 60 × 72 quilt adds $66. The binding guide covers both machine and hand finishes.
- Prepare the top. Press it, clip loose threads, and make the backing as big as the shop asks (Creative Passions wants 5 inches extra on every side). Gather Here lists charges for pressing and trimming; check whether your shop does too.
- Watch the minimum. A 40 × 45 lap quilt at 2¢ is $36 of quilting, below a $40 minimum. Two small quilts dropped off together may cost less if the shop applies the minimum per order, so ask.
- Quilt small ones yourself. A baby or lap quilt is very doable on a home machine with straight-line quilting and a walking foot.
Common mistakes
- Using the backing size instead of the top size. The backing is bigger and isn't what you're charged for.
- Comparing rates without comparing what they include (batting, thread, trimming).
- Forgetting the minimum on small quilts.
- Assuming all thread is included. Some shops charge more for specialty thread.
Related pages
Pricing a quilt to sell? Put the longarm total into the quilt pricing calculator. The thread calculator estimates thread if you quilt it yourself, and the batting guide helps you choose what to bring. Before the drop-off, squaring up the top makes for a flatter finish.
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