Rectangular Fabric Cuts & Yardage

When to use it

Use this for repeated rectangular cuts on already preshrunk fabric. Enter cut sizes including all seam and hem allowances; usable width excludes unusable selvages. Cut width runs across the roll and cut length along it.

Prices are illustrative USD per metre, not market quotes. All example dimensions are metric. Related: Fabric Shrinkage and Fabric Weight & Price.

Inputs

USD

Calculation method

Pieces per row = floor(usable width/cut width). Rows = ceil(quantity/pieces per row); layout length = rows × cut length. Round that length up to the buying increment, then multiply by price per metre. With 145 cm width, 36 × 54 cm cuts and 20 pieces: 4 across, 5 rows, 2.7 m purchased, USD 32.40.

floor(145 [Usable fabric width cm]/36 [Cut-piece width, including allowances cm]) → Pieces across each row

ceil(20 [Number of pieces]/Pieces across each row) → Whole rows required

Whole rows required × 54 [Cut-piece length, including allowances cm] → Length occupied by the rows m

ceil(Length occupied by the rows m/0.1 [Purchase increment m]) × Purchase increment m → Length to purchase m

Length to purchase m × 12 [Price per metre USD/m] → Fabric purchase payment USD

Length to purchase m-Length occupied by the rows m → Length added by purchase rounding m

Change one input

Change only quantity from 20 to 21. Six rows need 3.24 m; buying in 0.1 m increments gives 3.3 m and USD 39.60. Increment rounding adds 0.06 m.

Results are displayed to at most two decimal places; later formulas use unrounded values.

Scope and limits

• Cut sizes already include seams and hems.
• Preshrunk usable width; one fixed direction.
• Rounding extra is length, not all cutting waste.

All lengths and the buying increment must be positive; quantity is a nonnegative integer and price nonnegative. At least one piece must fit across. This single-layer grid does not rotate pieces or optimize garment patterns. It excludes pattern matching, nap, defects, extra cutting gaps and further shrinkage. The final row may be partial. Payment is for fabric purchased, not material used or a complete product quote.

Fabric preparation and grain: USU Extension.

Download and import into Calvance to edit the numbers. The canvas does not reject every invalid input; check the stated ranges.

Common questions

Should I add seam allowance here?

Use the complete cut dimensions, including seams and hems. Adding the same allowance again overestimates the rectangles.

Why not divide total piece area by fabric width?

That gives an area lower bound, not a workable row layout. Full pieces across the width and whole rows can require more length.

How to import your template

We recommend using the latest version of Calvance.

1. Save the file. Choose Download template and save the .calvx file to Files on your iPhone or iPad. From a computer, you can send it to your device with AirDrop.
2. Open Import. In All Canvases in Calvance, tap the add button to open the template screen, then choose Import.
3. Choose the file. Select the saved .calvx file to create your own canvas. Importing uses one canvas from your allowance.
4. Edit and check. Check the results against the worked example, then add your numbers. Duplicate the canvas to keep different versions.

Download .calvx file