Fabric Yardage Guide

How much stretch fabric do you actually need? Find your project below, then read across to the width you're buying. Fabric width is listed on every product page.

Most people who hesitate on a fabric order aren't unsure about the fabric — they're unsure how much to buy. Order short and the project stops. Order long and you've tied up money in leftovers. This chart is the shortcut.

Dancewear and activewear

Skating

Swimwear

Cosplay and costume

Add-ons

Adding one of these to a project? Add the yardage below on top of the base figure.

Five times you should buy more than the chart says

1. Directional prints. If the print has a clear top and bottom — a scene, lettering, a one-way pattern — every piece has to be cut the same way up. Add 25%.
2. Large-scale prints. Big hologram or foil repeats need matching across seams. Add one full pattern repeat to your total.
3. Napped fabrics. Velvet, faux fur and anything with a pile has to be cut in one direction or the color shifts between pieces. Add 25%.
4. Plus sizes and tall. Above a US 16, or over 5'10", add ½ to 1 yard depending on the garment.
5. First time with a pattern. Add ½ yard. Cutting a second bodice because the first one didn't fit is the most common reason people come back for more of a fabric that's already sold out.

Working out yardage yourself

If your project isn't on the chart, you can get close with three numbers.

1. Measure the longest piece

Take your pattern's longest piece and measure it top to bottom. That's your minimum length, before seam allowance.

2. Check how many pieces fit across the width

Lay your pattern pieces out on paper at the fabric's width. At 60" you can usually fit two body pieces side by side. At 45" you often can't — which is why the same garment can jump a full yard when you drop widths.

3. Add 10% and round up to the quarter yard

Ten percent covers seam allowance, hem, and the cut being slightly off-grain. Then round up. Fabric is cut to order and dye lots vary between runs, so coming back for another quarter yard later doesn't always give you a match.

Common questions

What does 4-way stretch mean, and does it change the yardage?

4-way stretch means the fabric stretches both across the width and along the length. Most of our spandex is 4-way. It doesn't change the yardage in the chart, but it does mean you have more freedom in how you lay out pattern pieces. 2-way stretch fabric only stretches one direction, so every piece has to be cut with the stretch going around the body — add 25% to be safe.

How much fabric do I need for a leotard?

For an average adult tank leotard: 1¼ yards at 60" wide, 1½ yards at 50", or 1¾ yards at 45". A child's leotard takes ¾ to 1 yard. Add ½ yard for long sleeves.

How much fabric do I need for leggings?

Full-length adult leggings take 1¼ yards at 60" wide. At 45" you'll need 2 yards, because the two leg pieces no longer fit side by side and you have to cut them end to end.

How much fabric for a full bodysuit or catsuit?

2½ yards at 60" wide, 3 yards at 50", 3½ yards at 45". Add ½ yard for a hood, and 25% on top if the print is directional.

Why does narrower fabric need so much more than the difference in width?

Because pattern pieces are a fixed size. Going from 60" to 45" only loses a quarter of the width, but if that quarter is what let two pieces sit side by side, you now have to cut them one after another — and the total length can jump by half again.

Should I prewash stretch fabric before cutting?

Nylon and polyester spandex don't shrink meaningfully, so prewashing is optional. Cotton spandex does shrink — prewash it and dry it the way you'll wash the finished garment, then cut.

Can I order a partial yard?

Yes. Fabric is cut to order and most of our fabrics can be ordered in quarter-yard increments. Swatches are available separately if you only want to see and feel the fabric first.

What if I order too little and need more later?

Order what you need in one go where you can. Fabric runs in dye lots, and a second cut weeks later may not be an exact color match — especially on holographic, foil and deep-saturated colors. If you're between two amounts, take the larger one.

Figures are a starting guide for average adult sizing. Your pattern, your size and your cutting layout will move them. When in doubt, round up — Spandex Palace has been cutting stretch fabric for dancers, skaters and cosplayers in the LA Fashion District since 1992.