Yardage Estimating: Repeats, Railroading, and Shrinkage

Nothing stalls a project faster than a workroom calling to say the fabric is two yards short. The mill has moved to a new dye lot, the client is asking about the install date, and a solvable problem has become a visible one. Yardage estimating is straightforward arithmetic, and the errors almost always come from allowances rather than from the core calculation.

The core calculation

Start with finished length. Add hem allowance, typically eight inches for a four inch double hem, and header allowance, typically eight inches. That gives cut length. Divide fabric width by required width per panel to find widths needed, then multiply widths by cut length and divide by thirty six for yardage. Round up, always.

Where the allowances hide

• Pattern repeat. Every cut must start at the same point in the pattern. Add one full repeat per cut length, which on a twenty seven inch repeat adds up quickly across eight widths.
• Shrinkage. Natural fibers move in fabrication. Reputable workrooms build in allowance, and your order should account for it.
• Matching across treatments. Panels, roman shades, and a cornice on the same wall must match horizontally, which forces additional yardage.
• Flaws. Mills allow a certain number of defects per bolt. Ordering exactly to calculation leaves no room to cut around one.

When to railroad

Railroading runs fabric horizontally so the width of the goods becomes the height of the treatment. It eliminates seams on wide shades and wide panels, which is a significant visual gain on a window wall. It only works with non directional patterns and fabrics without a nap or a one way design. Confirm before ordering, because a railroaded plan and a standard plan need different yardage.

Order the extra yard

One extra yard is inexpensive insurance against a dye lot change, a mill flaw, or a client who later wants a matching pillow. It is far cheaper than a reorder.

Frequently asked questions

Will Roseworks calculate yardage for me? Yes. Send the finished sizes, fabric width, and repeat, and we will return a yardage requirement before you order.

What if the fabric arrives short? Fabrication pauses until the balance arrives, which extends the schedule.

Who owns yardage on a customer supplied material order? The designer supplies the material, so confirming the requirement with us first protects everyone.