How To Calculate The Quantity of Fabric Needed For Your Headboard Project.
Whether you're a novice in upholstery, an Interior Designer trying to work out how much fabric to give to your upholster or an experienced upholsterer, one crucial question always lingers: how much fabric do I need for a headboard project? In this guide, we'll unravel the complexity around pattern repeats and provide you with all the essential insights on calculating the perfect amount of fabric. So grab your measuring tape and lets start!
How much fabric do you need? Well, it depends on a number of variables because every headboard style and size requires a different quantity of material.
How wide will your headboard be?
The height of your headboard?
Width of your fabric on the roll? Usually this will between 130cm and 140cm
Is there a pattern repeat in your fabric?
Will you be wanting a piping or welting for your headboard?
Wallpaper - Botanica Trading / Headboard Fabric - Imogen Heath / Artwork - Carolyn Misterek
Lets Get Started
Im going to help you with an example using the Wavy Headboard Design.
Firstly you need to know the width and height of the headboard that youre making. Standard terms like 'single' and 'double' aren't always as precise as you would want so it's best to measure across the bed base (not the mattress) for the most accurate results.
These are the measurements I am going to be using:
Finished Width: 152cm (UK KING SIZE)
Finished Height: 120cm
I am going to be using a Brooke Perdigon fabric and its called Tropics.
Lets Look At The Fabric pattern Repeat
Fabric - Brook Perdigon
Now that we understand what a pattern repeat look like on the roll of fabric, I’m going to show you how to calculate the quantity. For my headboard I need fabric for the following parts to construct the headboard:
adboard Face - this is the vast area you will see front on.
Headboard Border - this is the edge between the face and the wall running across the top and down the sides.
Optional Single Welting / Piping - to transition from the face to your border this extra detail defines the shape and adds longevity to the edges. You can choose a contrasting fabric along the border edges to really highlight your shape. Or you can keep it minimal by using the same fabric.
Now together lets calculate the fabric needed for this 3 elements.
Working out your headboard face fabric quantity
Wallpaper - Imogen Heath / Headboard Fabric - Brook Perdigon
Next, BOrder Fabric
Headboard Fabric - Imogen Heath
We have gone over the face fabric quantity, now let me explain about the border.
The border is the top and side of your headboard, depending on how deep you are making your headboard you may need a little bit more fabric.
I like to make headboard depth 7cm so I like to know I have enough fabric to run along the top and down the sides.
From my two 172 cm fabric panels I know I will have 32cms left over to play with across the width of my headboard face fabric panels. I also have 90cm left in the width of my second panel.
However my fabric supplier would most likely want me to place an order by the metre unless they sell by the half meter. So If I needed 3metres of 44cms for the face of my fabric then they may want me to round up the order 4 metres in total - in which case I will have. more than enough fabric and left with remnants to use on other projects or make cushions to go with my headboard.
If in doubt its always best to order a little more fabric to make sure you have enough fabric to play with.
If you want to pattern match your headboard border at the top or the sides then you probably need to order another full repeat. But of course this is your choice!
Single Welting / Piping
I personally think it looks better to include a single welting in the transition from your headboard face to the border. The piping acts as a guideline for when you staple your border in place. But visually it adds definition to shape of your headboard and its a nice decorative detail to include. You can wither make a piping in the same fabric so the detail is subtle and a but more minimalist or you can opt for a piping in another fabric for more of a contrast.
How much fabric do I need for piping?
I cut my piping fabric lengths on the bias which is a 45 degree angle across the width of the fabric, making piping on the bias helps the piping move around corners and shapes without puckering as there is a bit more stretch and felibitly when made this way. Although you may want to use up the left over remnants from your headboard fabric above and not have to order more fabric for piping but if you cut your piping directly across the width or up the roll then you may notice the piping doesn’t flow nicely around angles and curves.
If you want to make perfect piping for your headboard, I would order extra fabric and cut your piping on the bias. I would order an extra metre ontop of your headboard face fabric. If your headboard is going to very tall and wide then up this quantity to 1.5 metres.
Headboard Quantity Calculator
I like to try and make things as easy as possible for you! So if the above still doesn’t quite make sense or you cant workout your pattern repeat calculation then I have this solved with our online headboard quantity calculator. Just enter in your bed width and height, fabric pattern repeat and the total quantity will be revealed.