Fabric Yardage Calculator
Estimate fabric yardage for common garments and home projects in 45- and 60-inch widths, rounded up to the next eighth of a yard.
Fabric Width
Updated Formula covered by automated tests
Fabric in the United States is cut from the bolt by the yard, and the right length depends on two things: what you are making and how wide the fabric is. This estimator gives a starting yardage for common garments and home projects in the two most common bolt widths, 45 inches (quilting cottons and many dress fabrics) and 60 inches (knits, fleece, home decor and many apparel fabrics), multiplies it for several identical items, and rounds up to the next eighth of a yard, the smallest cut most fabric counters will sell.
It is meant for the moment in the store or online cart when you have chosen a fabric but not a pattern, or want a sanity check on a pattern envelope. Once you have a commercial pattern, its yardage chart for your size and view should take priority, because it is based on an actual layout of the pieces.
The formula
- base yardage
- Typical length of fabric for one adult-size item at 45" or 60" width, from the project table
- number of items
- How many identical items you plan to cut from the same fabric
- 1/8 yd
- Four and a half inches, the usual minimum cut increment at US fabric counters
- 0.9144
- Meters in one yard, exact since the international yard agreement of 1959
Pattern pieces are laid out across the width of the fabric and stacked along its length. A wider bolt fits more pieces side by side, so the same project uses fewer running yards: a skirt that needs 1.5 yards of 45-inch fabric may fit in 1.25 yards of 60-inch fabric. The table values are typical adult-size figures for each project and width, not a calculation from your measurements.
Rounding up to an eighth of a yard matches how fabric is sold and adds a small safety margin. The metric figure is useful when ordering from shops that sell by the meter; one meter is about 39.4 inches, roughly 3.4 inches longer than a yard.
Worked example
Grace is making three matching short skirts for her daughters’ dance recital and is choosing between a 45-inch cotton and a 60-inch knit. The cotton is not pre-shrunk, so she wants 10% extra for washing it first.
- 1 Cotton at 45": 1.5 yd per skirt × 3 = 4.5 yd, which is 4.5 × 0.9144 = 4.11 m.
- 2 Knit at 60": 1.25 yd per skirt × 3 = 3.75 yd.
- 3 Width saving: 4.5 − 3.75 = 0.75 yd (about 0.69 m) less fabric with the wider knit.
- 4 Shrinkage allowance on the cotton: 4.5 × 1.10 = 4.95 yd, rounded up to the next eighth is 5 yd.
Result: Grace should buy 5 yards of the 45-inch cotton (allowing for shrinkage) or 3 3/4 yards of the 60-inch knit.
Before you rely on the result
- Yardages are general adult-size estimates and cannot replace the chart on a specific pattern; very large sizes, full skirts, long sleeves, linings and ruffles all need more.
- Only 45-inch and 60-inch widths are covered, and the estimates do not include allowances for shrinkage, pattern matching, nap or cutting mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra fabric should I buy for shrinkage?
Natural fibers such as cotton, linen and rayon can shrink noticeably in the first wash; many sewists add about 10 percent and pre-wash the fabric before cutting. Polyester and most synthetic blends shrink very little. The bolt end or product listing often states whether the fabric is pre-shrunk.
Why do plaids, stripes and large prints need more fabric?
Matching a repeating pattern at the seams means pieces cannot be packed as tightly; each one has to start at the same point in the repeat. Add at least one repeat length per major piece, and more for one-way designs or napped fabrics such as velvet and corduroy, where every piece must face the same direction.
Can I use 54-inch fabric with these numbers?
Yes, as long as you use the 45-inch figure; a wider bolt never needs more length than a narrower one for the same layout. Using the 60-inch figure for 54-inch fabric may leave you short, since some pieces that fit side by side at 60 inches will not at 54.
Does making several items always multiply the yardage?
Multiplying is the safe upper bound. In practice small pieces from one item can sometimes fit in the gaps of another, so experienced sewists often save a little by planning a combined layout. If the budget is tight, sketch the layout on paper at scale before buying.