How much fabric do I need? For most garments, allow between 1 and 3 metres; the exact figure depends on the garment, the fabric width and your size. A T-shirt needs about 1 metre, a skirt 1.5 metres, a dress 2 to 3 metres. But these guides apply to a standard width: a narrow fabric (110 cm) needs more than a wide one (140-150 cm).
The good news: you almost never need to work it out by hand. A good pattern always gives the fabric requirements by width, in a box on the envelope or the instructions. The survival rule when you're hesitating in the fabric shop: round up to the next half metre. A little extra fabric always comes in handy; a length that's too short dooms the project.
How much fabric do I need for each garment?
Here are guides for an average adult size, excluding lining and matching checks or prints. They give a reliable order of magnitude so you don't get it wrong in the shop.
| Garment | In 110 cm width | In 140-150 cm width |
|---|---|---|
| T-shirt / simple top | 1.2 m | 1 m |
| Shirt / blouse | 2 m | 1.5 m |
| Straight skirt | 1.2 m | 1 m |
| Flared / gathered skirt | 2 m | 1.5 m |
| Straight dress | 2.5 m | 2 m |
| Flared / long dress | 3.5 m | 2.8 m |
| Trousers | 2.2 m | 1.6 m |
| Light jacket | 2.5 m | 2 m |
These figures are starting points, not rules set in stone: a larger size, long sleeves or a very full skirt push them up.
Ready to go from reading to sewing? The verdict on your photo costs you nothing: you only pay when you order the pattern.
Create my made-to-measure patternWhy does fabric width change everything?
Because the pattern pieces are laid side by side across the width of the fabric. In 150 cm, you can often fit a front and a back next to each other; in 110 cm, you have to place one below the other, so you use more length. For the same garment, switching from a narrow width to a wide one can save half a metre, sometimes more.
Also think about the direction of the fabric. A velvet, a fabric with a pile or a one-way print (flowers "heads up", stripes to match) means cutting all the pieces in the same direction: allow 10 to 20% more fabric. To understand the markings that guide this layout, see reading a sewing pattern: every symbol.
How do you work out your fabric requirements yourself?
When the pattern doesn't give the fabric requirements (or you're improvising from an existing garment), the method is simple:
- List your pieces and note the longest (often the back of a dress, or a trouser leg).
- Lay the pieces flat, respecting the grainline, and group them across the fabric width.
- Add up the lengths of the rows that don't fit side by side.
- Add the seam allowances if they aren't already included, plus the hem.
- Add a safety margin (see below).
A tip without any fabric: draw a miniature cutting layout on squared paper, to scale, marking the fabric width. You see straight away how much length you'll need.
Should you allow a safety margin?
Yes, always. Fabric often shrinks in the first wash (up to 5% for some cottons and linens), you sometimes have to recut a piece that went wrong, and it's nice to keep enough to test a pocket or facings. Allow 10% extra length, and wash then press your fabric before cutting, not after.
| Situation | Margin to add |
|---|---|
| Plain fabric, no print | + 10% |
| Print to match (checks, stripes) | + 15 to 25% |
| Fabric with a nap (velvet, pile) | + 10 to 20% |
| First time with this pattern | + 1 extra length of the largest piece |
"The question isn't 'what's the minimum?', but 'what saves me a trip back to the shop?'. Half a metre of margin costs less than a fabric that's sold out and that you'll never find again."
That's also why you choose your fabric to suit the project before settling on the quantity: a stretch jersey isn't calculated quite like a crisp poplin, and a made-to-measure skirt doesn't need the same length as a long dress.
Frequently asked questions
How many metres of fabric for a dress?
Allow about 2 to 2.5 metres for a straight dress and 2.8 to 3.5 metres for a flared or long dress, depending on the width. Add fabric for a lining or long sleeves.
How much fabric for a T-shirt or simple top?
About 1 metre in a wide fabric (140-150 cm) and 1.2 metres in a narrow one (110 cm), for an average adult size.
How do I know how much fabric to buy without a pattern?
Lay out (or draw to scale) all the pieces across the fabric width, add up the lengths of the rows that don't fit side by side, then add seam allowances, hems and a 10% safety margin.
Do I need more fabric for checks or a print to match?
Yes: checks, stripes and large prints mean aligning the pieces, which uses more fabric. Allow 15 to 25% extra.
Why wash fabric before cutting?
Because many fabrics shrink in the first wash. Washing and pressing before cutting stops a perfectly fitted garment from becoming too small after its first trip through the machine.
Before you buy your fabric, know exactly what to cut. From a photo that inspires you and your measurements, our online pattern studio drafts a pattern to your body and gives you, along with its sewing instructions, the haberdashery and fabric requirements by width, all checked before it's sent. Get my made-to-measure pattern and fabric requirements.