Measuring Fabric for Upholstery & Window Treatment Projects

When you’re buying fabrics for interior design, it’s extremely important to get your measurements right. Inaccurate measurement can be problematic: too much fabric can be money down the drain and too little can put a huge (and sometimes disastrous) hitch in your project. Below you’ll find a guide that will hopefully make your measurements accurate and the process of measuring fabric for things such as upholstery and window treatments much easier.

The Basics of Fabric Measurement

Fabric is usually measured by the yard. To be more specific, it is sold by the “running” yard meaning it is measured lengthwise, not width-wise. If you aren’t quite sure how much a yard is, here’s a quick conversion:

1 yard = 3 feet = 36 inches = 90 cm (approximately)

So when a bolt of fabric is brought to the cutting table, you will be getting the yard (36 inches) plus the width of it, which begins at 32”.  It’s also important to understand that some fabrics have borders, which means you should ask what the usable width is. In most cases, the usable width is 1-2 inches less than the full width.

How Much Fabric Is Needed?

So, just how much fabric will you need for your project? Let’s look at two common projects that occur in home design: upholstery and window treatments.

When it comes to upholstery anything goes. With that said, there are some basic measurements that are somewhat universal unless it’s a specialty piece. Generally speaking, you’ll need:

• A yard or less for throw pillows
• 1 to 1 ½ yards for chair cushions
• 6-8 yards for a small to medium sofa
• Up to 13 yards or more for a large sofa

You can check out our yardage estimate chart for reupholstering here.

To measure:

• Make a rough sketch of your furniture piece so you can note your measurements
• Using a retractable, metal tape measure, measure across the back of the couch at its longest point from end to end, including the arms
• Measure from the bottom of the upholstered area (on back) to the top. If there are curves, measure to the highest point.
• Remove any cushions and measure the back of the couch from the front. This measurement should be between the arms or wings of the piece. If there are separate back cushions, the yardage for them is already accounted for in the standard yardage chart.
• Remove seat cushions to measure the inside of the couch from side to side. Measure the seat again from back to front. Again, cushions are accounted for.
• Measure the front from the bottom of the upholstered area to the top (highest point)
• Also take measurements from the floor to the top (back), to the top (front) and to the top of the arms

Window treatments can be a bit more challenging since so many styles exist. For something simple however, all you really need to know are the dimensions of your window and how much you want to gather or bunch the drapes. If the fabric you like is made from natural fibers or a natural fiber blend, be sure to allow for some shrinkage (unless it’s been prewashed) when making your calculations.

To calculate window yardage:

• Decide where how wide you want the panel to extend (edge of frame, an inch outside frame, etc) and then measure from the edge of the extension on one side to the edge of the extension on the other side of your window. If your window treatment will separate in the middle, divide that total in half.
• For length, measure from the top of your mounted rod to where you want the treatment to end (sill, halfway below, to the floor, etc). Double the measurement of your desired hem depth (top and bottom) and add it to the total length.
• If you have heading (extra decorative fabric above), double the desired measurement (i.e. for a two inch heading, add 4 inches to your length).
• Calculate for any additional hardware you will use

We leave the drapery making all to you! Try our standard drapery calculator that will help estimate the yardage you’ll need when you come in to buy fabric.

When you are looking for a window treatment fabrics near you in Allen, TX, stop by our Cutting Corners location in Dallas, Tx for great deals on discount designer fabrics. We have something for every home interior project from gorgeous drapery fabrics, colorful outdoor fabrics, and luxurious Dupioni Silks.