How to choose fabrics by the meter?
Your research must begin with the choice of fabrics to use, and in this case, the range is truly vast: wool, silk, cotton, satin, linen, denim, viscose, cashmere, velvet... To choose a fabric correctly, you must first consider its intended use and purpose. After selecting the material based on its weight, feel, and composition, it's time to consider the color: solid or patterned? Here too, it's essential to consider the fabric's intended use, the season, and all the other factors that can influence your choice and your style.
How much fabric to buy?
You can learn to calculate the amount of fabric needed to make a dress by simply adding the various lengths. But before starting any yardage calculations, a few things need to be considered:
- not all fabrics are the same, in fact, if the fabric is striped or patterned, a greater quantity of fabric is needed so that the print is uniform and the pattern matches perfectly;
- the size: the bigger it is, the more fabric you need.
Meanwhile, let's try to remember that fabrics have:
- a length (warp direction) which is the length rolled on the roller and which is bought at a certain rate per metre;
- a height (weft direction) which is the distance between the two selvedges or edges.
Fabrics of different widths are available on the market depending on the type and intended use. Fabric for tailoring is generally 140/150 cm wide.
Here is the calculation to be performed in a nutshell:
Add together: the length measurements of the garments you want to sew + the cm needed for sleeves + the cm needed for cuffs + the cm needed for collars + the cm needed for facings, belts, and pockets + and don't forget the seam edges and hems... the result will be how much fabric you need. When in doubt, it's better to add a few centimeters more than a few centimeters less, because sometimes that extra centimeter can leave you with an incomplete garment.
The measurements we report are INDICATIVE and based on simple garments with fabric height 140/150 cm.
SKIRT
straight to the knee: 70/80 cm
knee-high: 150/160 cm
half-wheel to the knee: 120 cm
SHIRT
Short sleeve 140 cm
Long sleeve 180 cm
SUIT
sleeveless sheath dress: 130 cm
sheath dress with sleeves: 180 cm
PANTS
simple straight trousers: 120 cm
men's trousers: 150 cm
OUTERWEAR
straight coat: 250 cm
long coat/men: 300 cm
JACKET
classic: 170 cm
man: 220 cm
T-SHIRT
100 cm
TOP
70 cm
