A question for DIY clothes people

[Lamont]

To all the women especially and men-tailors and dressmakers and people that sew their own clobber. I know there must be a few out there.
How much fabric do you think in m2 I need for a L mens or womens size XL or size 16 app Long sleeved crew necked top. I keep reading from my research it appears to be 1.5 yards. All I can find are US measurements and they have been quite vague.
The bolt width is around 1.5m.
All I'm after is the total metres squared required.
I can get 3m and I think this will get me two tops but it will come from OS and costs a fair bit so looking. Would it be remotely possible I get two tops from two metres of fabric?
Thanks.
G

[gayet]

Do you have a pattern or are you working from an existing garment and making a best guess of the shape of each piece?

If a pattern, layout a flat sheet or something and mark a line at 0.75m from one edge, down the 2m you are hoping for - or there abouts. Place pattern pieces for front and back along the edge - assuming they are cut on the fold. Ensure they are facing the same way - Shoulder /neck to the top of material, front above back along the edge - or back above front, suit yourself. Then see if you can fit the sleeve pattern piece in the gap beside the front and back without overhanging the 0.75m line you marked first. Unlikely but depends on how skinny the body is to be. If not, place the narrow end of the sleeve in the space provided, move the lower of the front/back down until you can get the sleeve wide end entirely in the 0.75 area.

Then measure from top of pattern piece (front or back whichever is in top corner) to bottom of last pattern piece. That is the amount of fabric required for one top. This layout will give you 1 x front of top, 1 x back of top, 2 x long sleeves. You will have some waste material

Without a paper pattern, similar process

1. measure from highest point of shoulder (at base of neck) to desired length + hem and seam allowance (generally allow 15mm for woven fabric, less for knitted if using overlocker)
2. measure required width - from shoulder to shoulder + allowance for "ease of fit" and seam allowance. Halve this as the fronts and backs are cut on the fold.
3. measure the width of the sleeve (at widest part - armpit) to determine how much material width needed for sleeves

As material width = 1.5m, when folded in half length-wise you need a minimum of twice the measured length (1. above) to get a front and a back (each cut on the fold), then additional length to be able to cut 2 sleeves , placed beside the front/back.

Based on halved measurement of 2. above, you may be able to get 2 sleeves from the material left beside the front and back - towards the selvedge but this is doubtful. You may have to move one piece down - work out how far below the measured length of the body you would need to go to be able to fit the widest part of the sleeve in the area left from the 0.75m.

If I could draw or had a suitable layout diagram handy it would be easier. Paper patterns generally give you required meterage for all suitable fabric widths. I have never bought fabric by the m2, only x meters of fabric at y width. 1.75m of 1.5m wide fabric sort of thing.

[Moondog55]

Also postage is expensive and it is better to order a little too much than not enough and have to re-order. If you are using a purchased paper pattern those provide you with fabric needs. I asked Cecile
She says she will answer when she knocks off work.
As a general rule tho the length required doubled at a minimum.
I know I need 3.5 metres of 1500 or 5 metres of 900 for a parka, double that if lined/double fabric.

[Lamont]

Thanks very much for your help Gaye.
It will be sold to me by the yard- I know that one yard is a piece app 1.5m (bolt width) wide by 91cms (one yard) 'high'. Including selvedge. So will confirm how much I will lose there.
I don't have a pattern. I will trace as you said another top to get it and make a pattern. I also would have allowed the 15mm as seam allowance so thanks again. You have confirmed what I felt I had to do, so that's great.
Laying all the pieces out as you directed is what I will do should I go ahead. Sounds good.
Damn! My clumsy language-I meant as you said one metre-or more correctly one yard or two etc, not M2.
I plan on buying one yard of one colour and another yard of a different but the colour same fabric.
One top will have the body one colour and sleeves the other and the other the reverse. Two items-one Crew neck and one hoody
I believe the bolt width is 1.5m so do you have any idea if I would get a mens large from a one yard piece? I feel like it might just not do it?
Or must I really make a pattern first as you suggested and go through the process?
I think once I factor in the sleeves and I am thinking a hood on one top, that I won't get one entire top from that yard-does that sound about right do you reckon?
Postage is very ugly so that's why I'm wondering if I can get away with less waste and less fabric. So two yards is quite a bit cheaper than three and if I could somehow get two tops from the two yards I would be winning-three yards still winning but not so much.
I won't blame you for any decisions I make-just great to have someone to throw ideas at.
Thanks kindly again

Last edited by Lamont on Mon 17 Aug, 2020 4:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Lamont]

Also postage is expensive and it is better to order a little too much than not enough and have to re-order. If you are using a purchased paper pattern those provide you with fabric needs. I asked Cecile
She says she will answer when she knocks off work.
As a general rule tho the length required doubled at a minimum.
I know I need 3.5 metres of 1500 or 5 metres of 900 for a parka, double that if lined/double fabric.

Thanks.

[Cecile]

Couple of questions. What kind of fabric are you planning to use? What is the fabric of the top you want to copy? This will make a big difference to how your finished garment will fit. For instance, if the top you want to copy is a knit (stretch), and the fabric you want to buy is a woven (non-stretch), or vice versa you may have size issues. Do you want set-in or raglan sleeve? 1.5cm seam allowace is what the "big four" pattern companies use. If I am overlocking on knit I use 6mm. Most of my downloaded patterns uave 1cm.

Rule of thumb for a more or less "regular" sized person (less than 150cm around the hips) is your finished length (plus hem allowance) plus the length of your sleeve (plus hem allowance again) is the amount of fabric you want to buy. You will need more for a hood. Don't worry about yards vs metres. Measure yourself metric, then use the calculator built into your computer to convert it to imperial (yards.) You can not get a men's large out of a yard.

How will you sew it, what kind of machine? Regular sewing machine, overlocker? A regular machine is OK, but if the fabric has a lot of stretch the stitches will rip while you wear it and you will cry. If you are going to sew featherweight woven stuff, you may find that some machines simply can't handle the fabric. Moondog can't sew this on either of his machines, but even my vintage machine will handle it. Your mileage may vary.

Personally, I do NOT recommend a beginner sewing without a pattern. I've got 50+ years' sewing experience and I have yet to trace off an existing garment and have it fit properly. There are thousands of amazing (and sometimes free) downloadable patterns out there for basic t-shirts. After all, if you're not putting in a zipper, a basic t-shirt will be all you need. Adding stuff like pockets, zippers, buttons etc adds complexity but isn't that hard if you have a good pattern to follow. Modern PDF patterns that you download are amazingly detailed and easy to follow. Patterns these days are multi size. NEVER cut them, trace your size off onto thin transparent paper. Most people too don't fit into only one size. You may need one size for your chest, larger around the belly, then smaller hips, etc. Even slender people often have to adjust patterns to fit.

Anyhoo, a few things to ponder. I am happy if you want to bounce anything off me.

[Lamont]

Thanks kindly Cecile for your detailed answer. It's much appreciated. Looking at the cost of the material this arvo again and for what I can buy a similar item to what I'm after, I think it's probably not worth it for me to make one. It's quite expensive, even DIY, and a mistake in fit will cost me more money than I can afford at the minute. Ta again.
Go well.

[Moondog55]

What fabric tho?
If cutting edge UL stuff to save 10 grams then yes it can be expensive, but if you haunt the Op-Shops and sales you often find really great fabrics quite cheaply.
At the moment I'm using stuff in the stash that I bought years ago, in one case over 30 years ago.