How much fabric you need depends on the pattern pieces, your size and the width of the fabric: the narrower the fabric, the more length you need. Read the quantity in your pattern's chart for your size and the width you are buying, usually 110, 140 or 150 cm (45, 55 or 60 in), then add extra for shrinkage if you pre-wash, for one-way prints or nap, and for matching stripes or plaids.
Why fabric width changes the quantity
Most pieces are cut from fabric folded in half lengthwise, selvedge to selvedge. On 140 cm (55 in) fabric that gives you 70 cm (27 1/2 in) across to place pieces side by side; on 110 cm (45 in) fabric, only 55 cm (21 5/8 in). A skirt front and back that fit next to each other on the wider fabric have to go one after the other on the narrower one, which can nearly double the length you need.
| Width | Common for |
|---|---|
| 110 to 115 cm (45 in) | Quilting cotton, many printed cottons, some silks |
| 140 cm (55 in) | Linen, apparel cottons, viscose, wool |
| 150 cm (60 in) | Knits, denim, many apparel fabrics |
The width on the label is not always the usable width. Measure between the selvedges and leave out any printed border or row of pin holes along the edges.
How to read a fabric quantity chart
- Find your size, or the quantity given for your made-to-measure pattern.
- Choose the column for the width of fabric you are buying.
- Check the version: sleeve length, pockets and skirt length all change the amount.
- Look for separate lines for contrast fabric, lining, interfacing and ribbing.
- Check whether the quantity is "with nap", with all pieces facing one way, or "without nap".
- Round up to what the shop sells, and add the extras below.
Typical quantities by garment
These are rough ranges for an adult around EU 38 to 42 (US 6 to 10, UK 10 to 14), to plan a shopping trip. Your pattern's chart always wins: larger sizes, long sleeves and longer lengths need more.
| Garment | 110 cm (45 in) wide | 140 to 150 cm (55 to 60 in) wide |
|---|---|---|
| Short-sleeved T-shirt (knit) | Rarely sold this width | 1.0 to 1.3 m (1 1/8 to 1 1/2 yd) |
| Short-sleeved woven top | 1.8 to 2.0 m (2 to 2 1/4 yd) | 1.3 to 1.6 m (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 yd) |
| Knee-length A-line skirt | 1.3 to 1.6 m (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 yd) | 0.9 to 1.2 m (1 to 1 3/8 yd) |
| Knee-length dress, short sleeves | 2.5 to 2.8 m (2 3/4 to 3 1/8 yd) | 1.8 to 2.2 m (2 to 2 1/2 yd) |
| Full-length wide-leg trousers | 2.8 to 3.2 m (3 1/8 to 3 1/2 yd) | 2.2 to 2.6 m (2 1/2 to 2 7/8 yd) |
| Lined tote bag | 0.5 to 0.7 m (5/8 to 7/8 yd) of each fabric | 0.5 to 0.7 m (5/8 to 7/8 yd) of each fabric |
Circle skirts are a special case: a full circle in a long length can need 3 m (3 3/8 yd) or more, and on narrow fabric the pieces may need joining. The circle skirt calculator works it out from your waist and length.
How Sewly works out the quantity
Sewly does not take fabric amounts from a size chart. It lays out the actual pieces of your pattern, in your size, on fabric folded selvedge to selvedge, with the grainlines parallel to the selvedge and the pieces cut on the fold placed against the fold, for 110, 140 and 150 cm (45, 55 and 60 in) widths. Pieces too wide for the folded fabric go on the opened-out width. The length of that layout, plus about 8 % and 10 cm (4 in) for shrinkage and squaring the ends, rounded up to the next 10 cm, is the quantity in your sewing guide; in yards it is rounded up to the next 1/8 yd. The cutting layout for each width is in the guide too, so you can see where every piece goes.
When to buy more
- Shrinkage. Linen, loosely woven cotton and viscose can shrink noticeably in the first wash. If your quantity has no margin for it, add about 10 cm per meter (4 in per yard), and pre-wash the fabric before cutting.
- One-way prints and nap. Velvet, corduroy, some satins and prints with a top and a bottom need every piece facing the same way, so pieces cannot be turned to nest together. If the pattern gives no "with nap" quantity, add 20 to 30 cm (1/4 to 3/8 yd) for a top, more for trousers and full skirts. See nap.
- Stripes and plaids. To match them at the seams, add at least one pattern repeat for each main piece.
- Placing a large print. If you want a motif centered, or kept away from the bust, buy an extra repeat.
- Off-grain cuts and flaws. Shops do not always cut straight. Add 10 cm (4 in) to square the end.
Working it out yourself
When there is no chart, for a self-drafted pattern or one you have changed, measure it out:
- Measure the longest length and the widest width of each piece, seam allowances included.
- Note how many of each you cut, and which are cut on the fold.
- Draw the folded fabric to scale on squared paper, half the fabric width across, with one square for 5 cm (2 in).
- Place the pieces cut on the fold against the fold first, then the others, largest first, all with their grainlines parallel to the selvedge.
- Measure the length you used, add the extras above, and round up to the next 10 cm or 1/8 yd.
The fabric yardage calculator does the sums for common garments, and laying out and cutting fabric on grain covers the layout itself.
Converting meters and yards
One yard is 91.44 cm (36 in); one meter is about 1.09 yd (39 3/8 in). Shops sell by the 10 cm or by the 1/8 yd, which is 11.4 cm (4 1/2 in). Always round up.
| Meters | Yards, rounded up |
|---|---|
| 0.5 m | 5/8 yd |
| 1 m | 1 1/8 yd |
| 1.5 m | 1 3/4 yd |
| 2 m | 2 1/4 yd |
| 2.5 m | 2 3/4 yd |
| 3 m | 3 3/8 yd |
Common mistakes
- Reading the wrong width column. Between 110 and 140 cm the difference is often half a meter or more.
- Forgetting the other materials: lining, contrast fabric, interfacing and ribbing have their own lines.
- Buying a one-way print with a "without nap" quantity. Check before you go to the cutting table.
- Mixing up meters and yards. A yard is about 8.5 cm (3 3/8 in) shorter than a meter, which adds up over 3 m.
- Skipping the pre-wash and finding out afterwards that the fabric lost length.