Fabric Yardage Calculator
Your pattern lists yardage for one fabric width — here's how much to buy of a different width.
Cut Your Yardage Cleanly
A sharp rotary cutter gives straighter, more accurate cuts across yardage than scissors, especially on slippery or stretch fabrics.
Why fabric width changes how much length you need
Pattern yardage is really a length measurement for one specific fabric width, because pieces are laid out side by side across that width before the pattern moves on to the next row. A wider bolt fits more pattern pieces per row, so you need less length overall to fit the same pieces. This calculator uses the standard proportional estimate patterns rely on: new yardage = old yardage × (old width ÷ new width).
This is an estimate, not a cutting layout
The proportional formula assumes pieces scale evenly across width, which is close enough for shopping but doesn't account for how oddly-shaped pieces actually nest together. If your pattern envelope already lists yardage for your specific fabric width, use that number directly — this calculator is for when your width isn't listed at all.
When to round up
Round the result up to the nearest 1/8 yard your fabric store sells, and add extra if your fabric has a directional print, nap, or large pattern repeat that needs matching — none of those are accounted for in a basic width conversion.