Home sewer planning plain panels
Convert finished dimensions into whole fabric widths.
Enter span, drop, panel count, fullness, usable width and construction allowances.
Gets auditable widths and yardage without hidden defaults.
Fabric Calculator
Plan curtain fabric cut widths and repeat-aligned yardage from exact finished dimensions, usable width, allowances, pattern repeat, and price.
Use this result well
- Inputs that matter
- Measured track span, finished drop, whole panels, entered fullness, exact usable fabric width, construction allowances, vertical repeat, deliberate extra cut and price
- Output to expect
- Finished fabric width, whole cut widths, unaligned/repeat-aligned cut length, total yards and entered fabric cost
- How it works
- Round required fabric widths upward, round each entered cut length to a whole vertical repeat when supplied, then convert total inches to yards
- Complete face/railroad orientation, motif placement, horizontal/vertical matching, seams, returns/overlaps, heading hardware, side hems and lining/interlining with the actual workroom plan.
- Verify shrink testing, care instructions, defects, cut-order increments, dye lot/stock and supplier return rules before cutting or buying.
Choose your path
Built around the job you need to finish
Build an auditable curtain fabric cut-length record from exact design/workroom inputs without prescribing universal fullness, hems, fabric width or extra yardage.
Decorator matching a vertical motif
Keep repeat alignment visible before fabric is cut.
Enter the exact vertical repeat and extra motif/straightening cut length.
Sees unaligned versus repeat-rounded cut length for the workroom plan.
Workroom buyer pricing an exact fabric
Separate base fabric length from lining, trim, labor and stock constraints.
Use exact usable width and price, then verify care, shrink, defects, dye lot and cut increments.
Gets scoped fabric cost without claiming a finished fabrication specification.
Authoritative checks for this tool
Outputs and checklists are planning aids. Review the linked current authorities and the records, terms, instructions, and requirements that apply to your exact situation before a consequential decision.
- Window Treatments — Figure Yardage NeededUniversity of Minnesota Extension · Extension guidance connecting finished curtain dimensions, hems, lining and whole vertical pattern repeats to yardage and matching.
- Approximate Conversions from U.S. Customary Measures to MetricNational Institute of Standards and Technology · Authoritative inch, foot and yard conversion context; the engine uses the exact 36 inches per yard relationship.
- Care Labeling of Textile Wearing Apparel and Certain Piece GoodsFederal Trade Commission · Federal care-label rule context for covered piece goods; care, shrinkage and material suitability remain separate from curtain cut-length arithmetic.
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Projects using Fabric Calculator
This tool is part of these guided projects. Each project provides step-by-step instructions with checklists and all the tools you need in one place.
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Reference & details
How it works
Updated August 2026
How it works
Updated August 2026Whole cut widths
Finished fabric width divides by exact usable width and rounds upward, with at least one width retained per entered panel.
Widths = max(panels, ceil(track span × fullness ÷ usable width))Entered construction length
Finished drop, header/hem allowance and deliberate extra cut length form the unaligned cut.
Unaligned cut = finished drop + entered allowances + entered extraRepeat alignment and yards
A positive vertical repeat rounds each cut upward before all cut widths convert from inches to yards.
Yards = widths × repeat-aligned cut length ÷ 36Updated: August 2026
Example Scenarios
A home sewer enters zero repeat and exact workroom allowances for a plain fabric.
A decorator compares the raw cut length with the whole-repeat aligned cut before layout.
A workroom buyer prices base face-fabric length while keeping lining, labor, shipping and stock-lot constraints separate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using universal fullness, hem or bolt-width presets
Enter the exact hardware/design/workroom specification and usable fabric width.
Ignoring pattern repeat and motif layout
Round cut lengths to the exact repeat, then complete motif and seam matching before cutting.
FAQ
Use the selected heading hardware, design and workroom specification. The calculator records the entered ratio rather than prescribing one.
The width available to the cut plan after any selvedge, defect or workroom exclusion—not merely the nominal bolt width.
Each unaligned cut length rounds upward to a whole entered vertical repeat. Motif placement and matching across seams/panels still require a layout.
Only deliberate straightening, shrink-test, motif-placement or workroom length beyond the entered header and hem allowance.
Face or railroad orientation, side hems, returns, overlaps, seams, lining, interlining, trim, care/shrinkage, defects, cut increments, dye lot, labor and installation.
About Fabric Calculator
Enter the actual curtain design and workroom measurements. No universal fullness, hem, bolt width, pattern allowance or extra yardage is silently applied.