Tool
Fabric yardage calculator
It starts on our tote bag, whose cut list needs 23 inches of 44-inch canvas. Swap in a project of ours or type your own pieces. Free, no account, nothing saved.
What to buy
Buy
¾ yd
about 0.69 m
Layout length
23 in
4 pieces in 3 rows
Exact need
0.64 yd
rounded up to the next ⅛ yd
Our The Unapologetic Tote Bag page says: Three-quarters of a yard (0.7 m) of 44-inch canvas.
Show the math
- Row 1, 15 in deep: Bag body 16 × 15, Bag body 16 × 15. Uses 32 of 42 in.
- Row 2, 4 in deep: Strap 24 × 4 (turned). Uses 24 of 42 in.
- Row 3, 4 in deep: Strap 24 × 4 (turned). Uses 24 of 42 in.
- Rows add up to 23 in. ÷ 36 = 0.64 yd, rounded up to ¾ yd.
Rows are filled deepest piece first. It is a planning estimate for rectangles: a hand layout can sometimes save an inch or two, and shaped pattern pieces need the pattern's own layout. Add a little for squaring up a crooked cut end.
Our projects, checked
Each project page tells you what to buy. Here is what its own cut list needs on about 42 inches of usable width, with no shrinkage allowance.
| Project | Cut list needs | The page says |
|---|---|---|
| The Wonky-Is-Fine Pillowcase | 35 in, buy 1 yd | About a metre of quilting cotton with at least 41 inches of usable width |
| The Unapologetic Tote Bag | 23 in, buy ¾ yd | Three-quarters of a yard (0.7 m) of 44-inch canvas |
| Café Apron With Pockets | 21 in, buy ⅝ yd | ⅝ yard (about 0.6 m) of mid-weight cotton |
The apron's cut list fits in about five-eighths of a yard; the page's metre leaves generous room for squaring up and shrinkage. Buying less is fine if you cut carefully.
How the calculation works
- Usable width. Fabric is sold by its full width, but the selvedges come off before you cut. The calculator assumes about 42 inches usable on a 44/45-inch bolt, 52 on 54-inch and 58 on 60-inch. Measure yours if you can.
- Shrinkage, if you prewash. Prewashing shrinks the width and the length, so the fabric you lay out on is narrower and every inch of layout needs a little more bought. The figures in the menu come from the fabric makers quoted in should you prewash fabric?
- Rows across the fabric. Pieces are sorted deepest first and placed into the first row with room across. Each row is as deep as its deepest piece.
- Turning pieces. Unless you tick directional, the calculator also tries turning pieces 90 degrees and keeps whichever layout is shortest. Turned pieces run across the grain, which is fine for most bags and home pieces; for garments, keep the grainline your pattern marks.
- Round up. Add up the rows, divide by 36 and round up to the next eighth of a yard, a cut most shops will sell.
Frequently asked
How do I calculate how much fabric I need?
List every piece you will cut with its seam allowances included, then lay them out in rows across the usable width of the fabric, deepest pieces first. Add up the depth of the rows, divide by 36 for yards and round up to the next eighth of a yard. The calculator does exactly that and draws the layout.
How much extra fabric should I buy for shrinkage?
If you will prewash, allow for it. Moda Fabrics puts quilting cotton shrinkage at 3 to 5 percent, mostly across the width, and Kokka says some cotton garment fabrics reach 10 percent. Pick the figure for your fabric in the calculator, or run a swatch test and enter your own.
What is the usable width of 44 inch fabric?
Less than 44 inches. The selvedges are trimmed off before cutting, and bolt widths vary, so this calculator assumes about 42 inches. Measure your own fabric between the selvedges and type the real figure if it differs.
Does a directional print need more fabric?
Often, yes. Every piece has to keep the same orientation, so the calculator cannot turn a piece sideways to fill a gap. Tick the directional option and compare the two answers; the same applies to napped fabrics such as velvet and corduroy, and to pieces whose grainline is marked.
Where to go next
Straight cuts are faster with a rotary cutter and a cutting mat, or a good pair of fabric scissors. Not sure what to make first? Try the pillowcase: one rectangle, one yard.