Fabric Width Conversion Calculator
Fabric to buy when your fabric is a different width from the pattern’s, rounded up to 1/8 yard.
Result
Fabric to buy at your width: 1 1/2 ydEstimate
A proportional estimate, rounded upAn estimate by area, rounded up. Pieces do not rearrange freely, so a real layout can need more.
- Proportional estimate before rounding
- 1.5 yd (54 in)Estimate
- Fabric area on the pattern
- 2.5 yd² (22.5 ft²)
https://calcgallery.com/crafts/fabric-width-conversion-calculator/
Results are arithmetic on the figures you enter and are estimates. Products, materials and animals vary, so follow the maker's instructions and label, make a test piece where it matters, and ask a vet about feeding. Nothing here is safety or veterinary advice. Read the full disclaimer
How to use the Fabric Width Conversion Calculator
- Enter the yardage the pattern gives for your view and size, and the fabric width it is for.
- Enter the width of the fabric you want to buy.
- Optionally enter the width of the widest pattern piece, to check it fits.
- Read the fabric to buy, rounded up to 1/8 yard or 10 cm.
How it is calculated
estimate = pattern yardage × pattern fabric width ÷ your fabric widthto buy = estimate × (1 + extra), rounded up to 1/8 yd or 10 cmThe pattern’s yardage times its width is the area of fabric its layout uses. Holding that area fixed and dividing by the new width gives the length at the new width. Shops cut in eighths of a yard or in 10 cm steps, so the answer is rounded up to the next one.
Why it is not a cutting layout
A pattern’s yardage comes from laying its pieces on the fabric at one width. At another width the same pieces fit differently: a piece that sat beside another at 60 inches may need a row of its own at 45. That is why sewing guides such as Historical Sewing’s say to err on the side of more when converting, and why Sew4Home calls conversion charts general estimates. The larger the change in width, and the larger the pieces, the less the estimate can be trusted.
Widths to check
Fabric is sold by its full width, but the selvedges are not usable, so the width you can cut from is a little less than the bolt says. Measuring between the selvedges and entering that gives a safer answer. For quilt fabric sums, the setting triangle calculator works out the pieces for an on-point layout.
With your numbers
- Estimate = 2.25 yd × 45 in ÷ 60 in = 1.687 yd
- With 0% extra = 1.687 yd, rounded up to 1 3/4 yd
Quick reference
An estimate by area, rounded up. Pieces do not rearrange freely, so a real layout can need more.
| Example | Fabric to buy at your width |
|---|---|
| 2 1/4 yd at 45 in, buying 60 in | 1 1/2 yd |
| 2 yd at 45 in, buying 60 in | 1 1/2 yd |
| 2 yd at 36 in, buying 45 in | 1 5/8 yd |
| 3 yd at 45 in, buying 36 in | 3 3/4 yd |
| 1 5/8 yd at 44 in, buying 54 in | 1 3/8 yd |
| 2 m at 115 cm, buying 150 cm | 1.6 m |
| 1.8 m at 140 cm, buying 110 cm | 2.3 m |
Common questions about the Fabric Width Conversion Calculator
- How much 60 inch fabric do I need if the pattern says 45 inch?
- About three quarters as much, because 45 ÷ 60 is 0.75. A pattern calling for 2 yards of 45 inch fabric needs about 1 1/2 yards of 60 inch; one calling for 2 1/4 yards needs about 1 11/16, which you would buy as 1 3/4 yards.
- Why is this only an estimate?
- It assumes the same area of fabric does the job at any width. Pattern pieces are fixed shapes, so they rarely rearrange that neatly: moving to a narrower fabric often leaves a strip down the side that no piece fits, and the layout needs more length than the arithmetic says. Treat the answer as a starting point and lay out the pieces if the fabric is costly.
- What if a pattern piece is wider than my fabric?
- Then the conversion does not apply at all, because that piece cannot be cut across the width. A full skirt panel or a piece cut on the fold is the usual culprit. Enter the widest piece and the page will flag it; the fix is a wider fabric or a pattern change such as adding a seam.
- How do fabric conversion charts compare?
- Printed charts give the same kind of estimate, but they usually round to the nearest step on the chart, which can come out short. For 2 3/4 yards of 45 inch fabric, one retailer chart lists 2 yards of 60 inch where the arithmetic gives 2 1/16, which this page rounds up to 2 1/8.
- Do I need extra for a nap or a one-way print?
- Often, because every piece must then point the same way. Many patterns give a separate with-nap yardage; enter that one if yours does. Otherwise choose Custom under More options and add a margin, and allow at least one full repeat for a print that must match.