When you’re new to sewing, buying fabric can be a daunting task especially if you’re doing it yourself without the help of an experienced tailor. You don’t want to buy too much, you don’t want to buy too little, because the worst-case scenario is if you start laying out your swatches, only to find that you don’t have enough fabric. Or worse – your fabric doesn’t fit your pattern.

If you’re lucky, someone who cuts fabric at a fabric store can help you buy it, but they’re usually not very knowledgeable, especially at chain stores. When it comes to finding the perfect fabric for your project, it’s nice to know exactly what you want. So when you arrive at the cutting counter, you are well equipped to return to the sewing room satisfied.

The first thing you need to do is research the pattern cover for the garment you want to make.

There is always a list of suggested fabrics on the back of the pattern cover. These fabrics are a guide to suggested fabrics to ensure you are using the correct fabric for your pattern. You’re not limited to these fabrics, but choose fabrics that are similar in weight and drape to the fabric’s recommended weight and drape.

If you’ve settled on a pattern that suggests heavier fabrics such as poplin, satin, or grosgrain, stay within that range. And if the fabric calls for chiffon or georgette – you’ll want a lightweight fabric with good drape. Patterns that require knitting must be made from knitted fabrics as these garments are stretchy and woven fabrics are not suitable for this type of pattern.

Once you’ve decided on the type of fabric to buy, you need to figure out how much fabric to buy. Most patterns give you a choice of two fabric widths – 45″ and 60″. Most of the time the fabric you find isn’t exactly these widths, so it’s a good idea to have a fabric conversion table. Many tailors keep these in their purses when shopping for fabric, and I’m sure you can also use some apps on your phone to make it easier to find out what length of fabric to buy.

Look carefully at your pattern cover and use your size and pattern maker’s size chart to determine your size (or measurements). Then follow the columns down to find the garment you want to make (in this case, View A), and use the suggested number of fabrics as a guide for how many yards of fabric you need.

These are always more than you need when cutting patterns, but it’s best to follow this advice because more is better than less.

Most patterns give you a choice of two fabric widths – 45″ and 60″. Most of the time the fabric you find isn’t exactly these widths, so it’s a good idea to have a fabric conversion table. Many tailors keep these in their purses when shopping for fabric, and I’m sure you can also use some apps on your phone to make it easier to find out what length of fabric to buy.

Once you’ve figured out what type of fabric you’re going to buy and how much you can get, be sure to write it down so you’re ready for the fabric hunt. I keep a list of fabrics and quantities of the different patterns I want to make in the Evernote app on my phone (Evernote also works on your tablet and computer), so when I go shopping for fabrics, I know exactly what I need to receive anything.