Estimating Fabric Requirements
How you find out how much you need?
If you’re estimating straight from a pattern, cut the pattern pieces
apart.
If you’re using your muslin, you’ll be using half width... like a
pattern. Make notes about any facings.
(Suggestion... you ought to be using your muslin... no crying if you mess
up your fashion fabric otherwise.)
- Find an open section of floor, yard something.
- Measure half of your fabric width
- Mark the rectangle, with strings, yards kicks, books anything.
- Lay out your pattern pieces within the area.
- If your fabric has nap... make sure you lay out all your pieces one
way.
- Pay attention to the grain arrows and lay it about with the grain
- (This doesn’t need to be as precise as when you’re cutting it, but
get things going approximately the right way.)
- You can use the pattern envelope as a guide to laying out the pieces,
even if you modified it into a muslin.
- However, often you’ll be able to find a better layout yourself.
- If you’re using a muslin, remember to add hem distance onto the bottom
of any skirt pieces.
OK... no one has 5 yards of free space in their house... but you can lay
pieces out and mark and move things down just like you were laying out the
real thing.
From you’re layout, you’ll be able to see how much fabric you need.
I do this anytime I’m planning on picking up expensive material. I go
armed with the knowledge of how much I’ll need at 45, 55 and 60. When a
fabric is $75 a yard, a half yard makes a lot of differences... and I can
splurge occasionally.
If you’re getting a cheaper fabric where you’ll just go... Oh, I’ll get
10 yards... you may still want to check skirts and sleeves. Some of these
patterns will not lay out on 45” or even 55.
-Cat-
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This page was last updated
04/22/08
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