How wide is quilting fabric?

Bolts are labelled 42 to 44 in, but after selvages and a little shrinkage you can rely on 40 to 42 in of usable width. Calculations on this site default to 40.

What does WOF mean in quilting?

Width of fabric: one strip cut across the bolt from selvage to selvage. Cut 2 1/2 in x WOF means one such strip, about 40 usable inches long.

Is 108 inch wide backing worth it?

For quilts bigger than a throw, usually yes. One seamless piece replaces two or three pieced panels, saves an evening of sewing, and often costs less overall.

Understanding fabric widths

Almost every fabric calculation starts with one question: how wide is the fabric really? Here is what the widths on the bolt mean and how much of them you can use.

The common widths

Fabric	Sold as	Plan on using
Quilting cotton	42 to 44 in (107 to 112 cm)	40 to 42 in
Home decor and curtain fabric	54 in (137 cm)	52 in (132 cm)
Continental curtain fabric	140 or 150 cm	about 5 cm less
Extra wide sheer and lining	280 to 300 cm	about 10 cm less
Wide quilt backing	108 in (274 cm)	105 in

Why the usable width is smaller

The selvages, the tightly woven edges that stop fraying, are cut away or hidden in seams, and the fabric is rarely printed edge to edge. On top of that, cotton shrinks 3 to 5 percent when washed. So a 44 in bolt reliably gives you about 42 in to work with, and our calculators assume these conservative usable widths so your project never comes up short.

WOF and other terms you will meet

WOF means width of fabric: a strip cut selvage to selvage, the standard cut in quilting instructions. Cut length or yardage runs along the bolt, perpendicular to WOF. Railroading means turning the fabric sideways so its width runs along your project's length, which lets wide fabrics make seamless curtains and backings; it only works when the print looks right rotated.

When wide fabric earns its price

Wide quilt backing removes every backing seam and is usually cheaper per square inch than piecing regular yardage, so it wins for anything larger than a throw. Extra wide sheers make seamless curtains for big windows by railroading. For everything else, standard widths are cheaper, come in vastly more prints, and a seam placed sensibly is invisible in use.

Common questions

How wide is quilting fabric?: Bolts are labelled 42 to 44 in, but after selvages and a little shrinkage you can rely on 40 to 42 in of usable width. Calculations on this site default to 40.
What does WOF mean in quilting?: Width of fabric: one strip cut across the bolt from selvage to selvage. Cut 2 1/2 in x WOF means one such strip, about 40 usable inches long.
Is 108 inch wide backing worth it?: For quilts bigger than a throw, usually yes. One seamless piece replaces two or three pieced panels, saves an evening of sewing, and often costs less overall.