Fabric Calculator

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Fabric Yardage Calculator

44″ (Standard Quilting) 45″ (Standard Apparel) 54″ (Upholstery) 60″ (Wide Apparel/Knit) 108″ (Extra Wide Backing)

Calculation Results

Total Yardage Needed: 0 yards

Total Length: 0 inches

function calculateFabric() { var length = parseFloat(document.getElementById('pieceLength').value); var width = parseFloat(document.getElementById('pieceWidth').value); var quantity = parseInt(document.getElementById('numPieces').value); var boltWidth = parseInt(document.getElementById('boltWidth').value); var allowance = parseFloat(document.getElementById('seamAllowance').value); var wastage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('wastage').value) / 100; if (isNaN(length) || isNaN(width) || isNaN(quantity) || length <= 0 || width boltWidth && fullLength > boltWidth) { alert("The piece dimension (including seam allowance) exceeds the fabric bolt width. You may need to join pieces."); return; } // Determine orientation: How many pieces fit across the width var piecesAcross = Math.floor(boltWidth / fullWidth); // Handle edge case where piece must be turned 90 degrees if (piecesAcross === 0) { var temp = fullLength; fullLength = fullWidth; fullWidth = temp; piecesAcross = Math.floor(boltWidth / fullWidth); } // Rows needed var rowsNeeded = Math.ceil(quantity / piecesAcross); // Total inches calculation var totalInches = rowsNeeded * fullLength; // Apply wastage buffer totalInches = totalInches * (1 + wastage); // Convert to yards and round to nearest 1/8th yard (standard cut) var totalYards = totalInches / 36; var roundedYards = Math.ceil(totalYards * 8) / 8; document.getElementById('yardageResult').innerText = roundedYards.toFixed(3); document.getElementById('inchResult').innerText = Math.ceil(totalInches); document.getElementById('layoutNote').innerText = "Layout: " + piecesAcross + " piece(s) across fabric width, requiring " + rowsNeeded + " row(s). Includes a " + (wastage * 100).toFixed(0) + "% waste/shrinkage buffer."; document.getElementById('resultsArea').style.display = 'block'; }

How to Use the Fabric Yardage Calculator

Planning a sewing or upholstery project requires precision to ensure you don't run out of material midway through. This fabric calculator helps you determine exactly how many yards of fabric you need to purchase based on your specific piece dimensions and the standard width of fabric bolts.

Understanding Input Variables

  • Piece Length & Width: These are the final dimensions of the individual item you are making (e.g., a cushion face or a tote bag panel).
  • Seam Allowance: The distance between the edge of the fabric and the stitching line. Standard allowances are usually 1/4″ for quilting and 5/8″ for apparel.
  • Bolt Width: Fabric usually comes in standard widths. 44 inches is common for cotton quilting fabrics, while 54-60 inches is common for apparel and home decor.
  • Wastage Buffer: We recommend at least 10% to account for fabric shrinkage during pre-washing, crooked cuts at the fabric store, or mistakes.

Standard Fabric Dimensions Table

Fabric Type Typical Width
Quilting Cotton 42″ – 44″
Apparel (Knits/Linens) 58″ – 60″
Upholstery/Home Decor 54″
Quilt Backing (Extra Wide) 108″

Practical Example: Making Napkins

Suppose you want to make 8 napkins. Each finished napkin should be 18″ x 18″. You are using a standard 44″ wide cotton fabric and want a 0.5″ seam allowance.

  1. Calculate Cut Size: Each piece needs to be 19″ x 19″ (18″ + 0.5″ allowance on both sides).
  2. Determine Fit: On a 44″ wide fabric, you can fit 2 pieces across the width (19″ + 19″ = 38″).
  3. Calculate Rows: For 8 napkins, fitting 2 per row, you need 4 rows.
  4. Total Length: 4 rows × 19″ per row = 76 inches.
  5. Convert to Yardage: 76 / 36 = 2.11 yards. Adding a 10% buffer, you would buy approximately 2.375 (2 3/8) yards.

Pro Tips for Buying Fabric

Always consider directional prints or nap (like velvet or corduroy). If your fabric has a pattern that must face a certain way, you cannot rotate pieces to save space. In such cases, you might need more fabric than the basic calculator suggests. Furthermore, if you are matching plaids or large floral repeats, always add one full repeat length for every 2-3 yards of fabric.

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