Fabric Yardage
Calculator: How Much
Fabric Do You Need?

Buying too little fabric means a second trip and a dye-lot gamble. Buying too much just sits in a bin. Enter your project size, the fabric's width, and its pattern repeat if it has one, and get a number you can actually order against.

Accounts for fabric width — the detail most calculators skip

Pattern repeat allowance built in

Answer in yards, with a sensible buffer suggested

How the calculator gets to a number

Fit pieces across the width

It figures out how many of your project pieces fit side by side on the fabric's actual width — not an assumed 45 inches.

Account for the repeat

If you told it there's a pattern repeat, each cut gets rounded up to the nearest full repeat so the design lines up.

Convert to yards, add a cushion

Total inches needed, divided by 36, plus a small buffer for seams and the inevitable cutting mistake.

Yardage for common projects

Rough starting points on 54 in wide fabric with no pattern repeat — your own numbers will vary with size and repeat.

Frame height	Frame center at	Nail height
12 in (e.g. 8×12 frame)	57 in	60 in
16 in	57 in	62 in
20 in	57 in	64 in
24 in	57 in	66 in
30 in	57 in	69 in
36 in	57 in	72 in
40 in	57 in	74 in

Why fabric width matters more than people expect

I've watched a customer order fabric twice for the same duvet cover because the first bolt was 36 inches and they'd calculated against 54. It's an easy mistake — most yardage guides quietly assume a standard width and never say so. The truth is a project can take almost twice as much fabric on 36-inch goods as it does on 60-inch goods, purely because fewer pieces fit across each cut. Always check the bolt width on the listing before you calculate, not after the fabric arrives.

Pattern repeat works the same way in miniature. A busy floral with an 18-inch repeat means every piece you cut has to start at the same point in the pattern, so you can't always use the leftover fabric between cuts — that unused strip is where a chunk of "extra" yardage actually goes.

Fabric yardage FAQs

How do I calculate fabric yardage?

Divide your project area by the usable fabric width, add extra for seams and pattern matching, then divide by 36 to convert inches to yards. Patterned fabric with a repeat needs more allowance than a plain fabric.

What is a pattern repeat and why does it add yardage?

The vertical distance before a printed design starts over. Cutting multiple pieces means each one has to line up with the repeat, so you can't always use every inch — the gaps between repeats show up as extra yardage.

How much fabric do I need for a standard pillow cover?

About 0.75 yards of 54 in wide fabric for an 18×18 in cover, including a small seam allowance. Larger pillows or an envelope back need a bit more.

Does fabric width really change how much I need?

Yes — often significantly. The same project can need close to double the yardage on 36 in fabric versus 60 in fabric, since fewer pieces fit across each cut. Check the width before you estimate.

Should I always buy extra fabric?

A little. Dye lots vary between bolts and cutting mistakes happen — 10% over the calculated amount covers most projects; a large pattern repeat can justify buying more.