Sewing Fabric Yardage Calculator
To estimate fabric for a sewing project, picture laying the pattern pieces out across the fabric in rows. Enter how many identical pieces you need, the size of one piece, the fabric width and an extra allowance, and this calculator tells you how many pieces fit per row, how many rows you need and the total yardage to buy.
Fabric yardage formula
Pieces per row = floor(fabric width / piece width)
Rows needed = ceil(pieces / pieces per row)
Fabric length = rows * piece length
Yards to buy = (fabric length / 36) * (1 + allowance / 100)
The layout assumes pieces sit side by side across the width and stack in rows down the length. The allowance pads for shrinkage, matching and cutting.
Worked example
Six pieces, each 20 inches wide and 30 inches long, on 44 inch fabric. Pieces per row = floor(44 / 20) = 2. Rows = ceil(6 / 2) = 3. Fabric length = 3 times 30 = 90 inches. With a 10 percent allowance, yards = (90 / 36) times 1.10 = 2.50 times 1.10 = 2.75 yards.
Sewing fabric yardage: frequently asked questions
How do you estimate fabric yardage for sewing?
Work out how many pattern pieces fit across the fabric width, then how many rows of pieces you need to cut all of them. Multiply the rows by the piece length to get the length of fabric, then divide by 36 for yards, and add a margin for shrinkage and matching.
Why does fabric width matter so much?
Wider fabric fits more pattern pieces across each row, so fewer rows and less total length are needed. The same garment can take noticeably less yardage on 60 inch fabric than on 45 inch fabric. Always check the bolt width.
What is a sensible extra allowance?
A small percentage buffer covers pre-wash shrinkage, pattern matching for stripes or prints, cutting mistakes and the seam allowances already built into pattern pieces. The allowance here is editable; many sewists add roughly 10 percent.
Does this handle directional or napped fabric?
This is a simple row-layout estimate and assumes pieces can be placed efficiently. Directional prints, naps or one-way layouts reduce nesting efficiency, so add more allowance or lay out your pattern on paper to confirm.
Sources and notes
- The estimate is geometry: pieces per row from fabric width, rows from piece count, length from rows times piece length.
- Fabric width and piece sizes are your project values; this tool assumes no fixed bolt width.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 19 June 2026. See our methodology.