Friday, October 17, 2025

Thursday, October 16, 2025

A Simple Guide to Calculating Fabric Yardage:

When you’re planning to sew your own drapery panels, one of the first questions that comes up is: “How much fabric do I need?” Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or working with a custom drapery workroom, calculating your fabric yardage accurately will help you save time, avoid waste, and ensure your panels look polished and professional.
In this post, we’ll walk you through how to figure yardage for basic drapery panels — including allowances for hems, rod pockets, and fabric repeats. ✂️ Step 1: Determine Your Cut Length Your cut length is the total length of fabric you’ll cut for each panel. It includes the finished panel length plus extra inches for hems and rod pockets (or header tape, if you’re using one). Here’s the formula: Cut Length = Finished Length + Hem Allowance + Rod Pocket Allowance Note: Our workroom adds 16 inches to the finished length to allow for hems and rod pockets. So, if your finished panel length is 84 inches, your cut length will be: 84" + 16" = 100"
๐Ÿชถ Step 2: Account for the Number of Panels Once you know your cut length, multiply it by the number of panels you’re making. For example: 2 panels → 100" × 2 = 200" total fabric 3 panels → 100" × 3 = 300" total fabric 4 panels → 100" × 4 = 400" total fabric Now, divide the total inches by 36 to convert to yards. Example (No Fabric Repeat): 2 panels → 200" ÷ 36 = 5.625 yards (round up to 6 yards) 3 panels → 300" ÷ 36 = 8.33 yards (round up to 9 yards) 4 panels → 400" ÷ 36 = 11.125 yards (round up to 12 yards) It’s always a good idea to round up and allow extra fabric for pattern alignment, trimming, or any miscuts.
๐Ÿงต Step 3: Add Fabric for Pattern Repeats If your chosen fabric has a pattern repeat, you’ll need to add extra inches so the design aligns perfectly across all panels. A repeat is the distance from one point in a pattern to the next time that same design appears vertically. Common repeats range from 12" to 27", depending on the fabric. To calculate yardage with a repeat, the first panel will use the regular cut length. Then, for each additional panel, add the number of inches in the repeat. Example: Fabric with a 27" Repeat Finished length: 84" Workroom allowance: 16" Repeat: 27" Calculations: 1st panel → 84" + 16" = 100" 2nd & additional panels → 84" + 16" + 27" = 127" Now multiply: 2 panels → 100" + 127" = 227" total = 6.3 yards (round to 7 yards) 3 panels → 100" + (127" × 2) = 354" total = 9.83 yards (round to 10 yards) 4 panels → 100" + (127" × 3) = 481" total = 13.36 yards (round to 14 yards)
๐Ÿชก Step 4: Always Round Up for Safety Fabric shrinkage, design matching, or cutting adjustments can easily consume extra inches. To stay safe, always round up to the next full yard. It’s better to have a little extra fabric than to fall short mid-project. ๐Ÿช„ Quick Reference Chart Panels Fabric Type Cut Length Each Total Inches Yards Needed (Safe) 2 No Repeat 100" 200" 6 yards 3 No Repeat 100" 300" 9 yards 4 No Repeat 100" 400" 12 yards 2 27" Repeat 100" + 127" 227" 7 yards 3 27" Repeat 100" + (127"×2) 354" 10 yards 4 27" Repeat 100" + (127"×3) 481" 14 yards
๐Ÿก Final Tips from Beautiful Windows Elgin If your fabric has both vertical and horizontal repeats, always plan for the vertical repeat first when determining yardage. For extra fullness or pleated drapery styles, you may need 1.5x to 2.5x the window width per panel. When in doubt, our team can help you calculate the exact yardage for your project — whether it’s a simple rod-pocket panel or custom pinch-pleated drapery. ✨ Bring Your Vision to Life At Beautiful Windows Elgin, we help homeowners and designers create elegant, made-to-measure drapery that fits every space perfectly. Browse our curated collection of fabrics and start designing your custom panels today at beautifulwindowselgin.com ๐Ÿ‘‰

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