Shirt Fabric Estimator
Select your size, shirt style, and sleeve length for exact yardage.
Shirt Yardage by Style
I have sewn plenty of shirts over the years, and the one thing I have learned is that sleeve length matters more than you might expect. Long sleeves add roughly 10% to your total yardage because each sleeve needs a full-length cut piece plus cuff and placket. Short sleeves can often be cut from leftover space in the fabric width.
Tunic shirts are my favorite for casual wear — they are comfortable and versatile. But they do need noticeably more fabric. For a size M tunic on 54-inch fabric, expect to need about 2.5 yards, which is 0.5 yards more than a standard dress shirt.
Fabric Width and Shirt Yardage
Shirts on 54-inch fabric are efficient to cut because the front, back, and sleeves can usually be laid out side by side. On 45-inch fabric, you may need to stagger the pieces, adding about 15% to yardage. On 60-inch fabric, everything fits comfortably with room to spare.
You Might Also Need
Shirts are essential wardrobe staples. These guides cover related topics:
- Blouse Fabric Yardage — blouse yardage guide
- Jacket Fabric Yardage — jacket yardage guide
- Clothing Fabric Yardage — complete garment yardage guide