Sewing Essentials
Small tools every sewist runs out of
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Quality materials for your next project
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The right tools make cutting faster and more accurate
How to Use This Fabric Calculator
Our fabric yardage calculator makes it easy to work out exactly how much fabric to buy for any sewing, quilting, or craft project. Follow these four steps for an accurate result every time.
1. Choose Your Project Type
Select what you are making from the preset buttons, or use Custom Project for anything else. Presets auto-fill sensible default dimensions.
2. Enter the Fabric Width
Quilting cotton is usually 42-45 inches wide. Home decor and upholstery fabric is usually about 54 inches, and apparel fabric 54-60 inches. Check the bolt or roll for the exact measurement.
3. Enter Your Piece Dimensions
Input the width and length of each piece you need to cut. For quilts, this is your individual square or rectangle size, not the finished quilt dimensions.
4. Enter the Number of Pieces
Tell us how many pieces you need in total. The calculator works out how many fit across the fabric width, then calculates total length required.
Standard Fabric Widths
Fabric is sold in standard widths that vary by type. Knowing the width before you start is essential. It is the most important input in your calculation.
Quilting Cotton
42-45 inches (107-114cm). The most common width for quilting cotton, with about 40-42 inches usable once the selvages are trimmed. When patterns refer to "width of fabric" or "WOF," they almost always mean 44 inches. This is the default in our calculator.
Home Decor and Upholstery Fabric
About 54 inches (137cm). Curtain fabric, upholstery fabric, and heavier home decor materials are wider, which reduces the number of seams needed in large-scale projects like sofas and curtain panels.
Specialty and Stretch Fabrics
54-60 inches (137-152cm) and wider. Apparel fabrics such as jersey and other knits are usually 54-60 inches wide, and fleece and minky about 58-60 inches (147-152cm). Some stretch and performance fabrics come wider still. Always check the bolt or product listing before calculating, as widths vary significantly between suppliers.
Pre-cut Bundles
Fat quarters (18 x 22 inches), half yards, and pre-cut charm packs have fixed dimensions. If you are working with pre-cuts rather than yardage, use our Custom Project setting with the exact dimensions of your pre-cut pieces. Browse fat quarter bundles on Amazon to see standard pre-cut options and current prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Project Yardage Estimates
Quilt and blanket figures match the quilt and blanket calculators with their default settings. Use the clothing and home decor figures as starting points before running the calculator with your own dimensions. Click any project to open its calculator.
Quilts
| Project | Finished Size | Estimated Yardage |
|---|---|---|
| Crib Quilt | 28" x 52" | 1¾ yards backing + ½ yard binding |
| Twin Quilt | 62" x 97" | 6 yards backing + ¾ yard binding |
| Full Quilt | 78" x 97" | 7¼ yards backing + ¾ yard binding |
| Queen Quilt | 84" x 102" | 7¾ yards backing + ¾ yard binding |
| King Quilt | 100" x 102" | 9 yards backing + 1 yard binding |
| California King Quilt | 96" x 106" | 8¾ yards backing + 1 yard binding |
Quilt sizes include a 12 inch drop and a 10 inch pillow tuck (none for crib). Backing is 42 inch fabric, 4 inches larger than the quilt on every side, and binding uses 2.5 inch strips. The quilt top depends on your pattern, so it is not included.
Blankets
| Project | Finished Size | Estimated Yardage |
|---|---|---|
| Throw Blanket | 50" x 60" | 1¾ yards (one layer), 3½ yards (two layers) |
| Twin Blanket | 66" x 90" | 3¾ yards (one layer), 7½ yards (two layers) |
| Full Blanket | 80" x 90" | 4½ yards (one layer), 9 yards (two layers) |
| Queen Blanket | 90" x 90" | 5¼ yards (one layer), 10¼ yards (two layers) |
| King Blanket | 108" x 90" | 5¼ yards (one layer), 10¼ yards (two layers) |
Blanket figures use 60 inch minky or fleece with a 0.5 inch hem or seam allowance on every edge.
Clothing
| Garment | Size Range | Estimated Yardage |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Dress | XS-L | 2-3 yards |
| Button-up Shirt | XS-L | 2-2.5 yards |
| Trousers | XS-L | 2-3 yards |
| Lined Jacket | XS-L | 3-4 yards outer + lining |
Home Decor
| Item | Size | Estimated Yardage |
|---|---|---|
| Throw Pillow Cover | 18" x 18" | 0.5-1 yard each |
| Curtain Panel | Standard window | 3-5 yards per panel |
| Tablecloth | 60" round | 2 yards |
| Tote Bag | Standard | 0.75-1 yard |
Fabric Buying Tips
Pre-wash Before You Cut
Always pre-wash fabric before cutting, particularly cotton, to account for shrinkage. Most cotton fabrics shrink 2-5% in the first wash. Washing before cutting ensures your finished project does not distort when it is eventually laundered.
Cut with the Grain
Fabric has a grain (the direction of the woven threads). Cutting pieces off-grain causes them to stretch, twist, and distort. Align pieces with the straight grain (parallel to the selvage) unless your pattern specifically calls for bias cuts.
Buy from the Same Bolt
Dye lots vary between fabric bolts even when the colorway is nominally identical. If you need multiple yards, buy it all from the same bolt in one visit. If you run short and need to return, there is no guarantee the new fabric will match exactly.
Note the Selvage
The selvage is the tightly woven finished edge running along both long sides of the fabric. It does not stretch like the rest of the fabric and is usually not used in projects. When measuring usable fabric width, the usable width is typically 2-3 inches narrower than the stated width, so 42-45 inch quilting cotton gives about 40-42 inches.
Directional Fabric Needs Extra Yardage
Fabric with an up-down direction (animals, people, words, or any design that has a clear top and bottom) must have all pieces cut facing the same way. This effectively reduces how many pieces fit across the fabric width, increasing total yardage required. Add at least 15-20% for directional prints.