Featured Fabric: Keegan Maple, Havana Petal, Menlo Wheat, Echo Flax

Many people struggle with calculating the amount of fabric needed for upholstery projects. This uncertainty often leads to wasted material, increased costs, or insufficient fabric to complete the job. Determining the right amount of fabric for upholstery projects can feel overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be!

We created this chart of fabric and vinyl upholstery guidelines especially for you to estimate the yardage you need. Simply match your specific project type with the corresponding yardage recommendation.

However, be aware that several factors can influence the final fabric requirements including furniture size, pattern repeats, and design complexity. If you’re thinking you might need more, err on the side of caution or ask your upholstery professional!

Download the Fabric & Vinyl Upholstery Guidelines PDF

The above fabric and vinyl upholstery guideline chart is the best place to start when deciding how much yardage to order. These estimations come from fabric yardage calculations upholsterers do to order the correct amount of fabric for their projects. The process starts by taking basic measurements like the length and width of the project, the width of the fabric to be used, and how many pieces will be made. With these dimensions, the yardage can be calculated. Beginner projects can be relatively simple to calculate but as the project becomes more complex so does the calculation.

The fabric you choose will be available in a set width. Fabrics usually come in standard widths such as 45, 54, or 60 inches. To determine how many yards you need, you first must determine how your project dimensions will fit into the width of the fabric.

TIP : All fabrics available at Folio Fabrics are 54 inches wide

If you already have fabric and want to know how many yards you have, follow the below instructions:

1. Lay Out the Fabric: Spread the fabric out flat on a large, clean surface. Ensure it is smooth and free of wrinkles for accurate measurement.
2. Measure the Length: Use a measuring tape or a ruler to measure the length of the fabric from one end to the other. Be sure to measure down to the inch. If the fabric is very long, you might need to fold it and measure in sections.
3. Convert to Yards: Since a yard is 36 inches, divide the total number of inches by 36

Featured Fabrics: Chambers Camel

Fabric calculations, whether done manually or with an automated fabric calculator tool, use the following information to provide an estimate of the total fabric yardage needed:

1. Project Dimensions: measurements in all dimensions of the project you plan to complete (example: length and width of a chair seat).
2. Fabric Width: Fabrics come in standard widths like 45, 54, or 60 inches. Most fabrics from Folio Fabrics are 54 inches wide.
3. Extra Inches: If a project involves sewing seams or wrapping like with seat covers, then ½ inch to 1 inch of extra fabric needs to be added to each side of the project dimension measurements.
4. Pattern Design: If the fabric has a pattern, the dimensions of the repeat are used in the yardage calculation. This extra fabric allows for pattern matching.

TIP : If the calculation results in a fraction of a yard, round up! It’s better to have enough material to accommodate any cutting errors or adjustments.

The width of your fabric can often accommodate the width of your project. One example is decorative throw pillows. Throw pillows offer exceptional versatility, allowing for easy and cost-effective room transformations without extensive renovations. These decorative items can instantly add color, texture, and visual interest to a space! Many times you can even fit the back and front piece of a pillow along the width of the fabric. Then all you have to do is determine the length, or yardage amount.

Upholsterers consider the width of the projects and the number of pieces to be made. If the width of the fabric can accommodate more than one piece of the project, the upholster will arrange the pieces to utilize as much of the width as possible. Then they will determine the length or yardage requirement.

Featured Fabrics: Marina Dusty Rose, Ezra Petal, Zen Salmon

In many cases, the width of your project will be greater than the width of your fabric, like with bedspreads, window treatments and headboards. This is when you should consider hiring a professional! When the width of your project is wider than the width of your fabric, you have to sew or join multiple widths together. If the fabric has a pattern, you will need enough yardage to match the design properly, too. A hired upholsterer will know how to accomplish this and will advise you on how much yardage you should purchase!

To illustrate the above concepts, follow along with the following example:

Imagine you want to make multiple pieces, like four seat covers that are 26 inches square, including seam allowances.

To calculate fabric needed for multiple pieces:

1. Divide fabric width by piece width to determine pieces per row.
2. Divide total pieces by pieces per row to find the number of rows.
3. Multiply rows by piece length, then divide by 36 to convert to yards.
4. Round up to the nearest whole yard for safety.
   • Example: For four 26" x 26" seat covers on 54" wide fabric:
     • 2 pieces per row (54/26=2)
     • 2 rows needed (4/2=2)
     • 1.5 yards required (2 x 26)/36=1.4
     • Round up to 2 yards for safety!

The fabric and vinyl upholstery guidelines chart from Folio Fabrics is your go-to resource for nailing down the right amount of material. These guidelines empower you to make smart fabric choices. And here's a pro tip: always grab a little more fabric than you think you'll need. It's like having a safety net for those unexpected twists and turns in your project.