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FABRIC TIP
Fabric Yardage Guidelines
The next time you're shopping for fabric but don't know the specific yardage requirements for a garment, estimate your needs by following these guidelines.
Use key lengths to estimate yardage
Take a guess at the lengthwise dimension of a pattern piece, basing the guess on a corresponding body measurement (see the drawing at right). Use this number to make a few simple calculations as explained here, then divide the totals by 36, and you'll have the yardage requirements for most basic garments.
Tops
For 45- and 54-inch fabric, add together one sleeve length and two bodice lengths (or, if your bust, waist, or hip circumference is greater than 40 inches, add three bodice lengths).
For 60-inch fabric, add together one sleeve length and one bodice length.
Pants
For 45-inch fabric, you need two lengths, unless your hip circumference is 30 inches or less, in which case you only need one length.
For 54- and 60-inch fabric, the width of the front and back patterns at the crotch and the width of the front leg below the knee determine the layout of the pattern pieces, which in turn sets the number of lengths needed.
Skirts
For a straight skirt, if the difference between your hip circumference and the fabric width is 7 inches or more, you only need one length. If the difference is less than 7 inches, you need two lengths. (For example, if your hip circumference is larger than 39 inches, you need two lengths of 45-inch fabric.)
For a flared skirt, divide the hem circumference by the fabric width. Round the resulting number up and buy that many lengths of any width fabric.
Dresses
For each fabric width, simply calculate the lengths needed for a top and skirt, then add them together.
-- Erika Molnar
Adapted from "Basics: Estimating Yardage," Threads magazine, October/November 2003 (#109), p. 24; drawing: Karen Meyer.
© 2003 The Taunton Press, Inc.
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