Common fabric widths
The width printed on the bolt is a nominal size. What you can actually cut from is narrower.
| Nominal width | Metric | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|
| 44/45 in | ≈ 112–114 cm (often sold as 110 cm) | Quilting cotton, many craft and apparel cottons |
| 54 in | ≈ 137 cm (often sold as 140 cm) | Home décor, upholstery, some apparel wovens |
| 58/60 in | ≈ 147–152 cm (often sold as 150 cm) | Knits, fleece, apparel fabrics, some backings |
| 108 in | ≈ 274 cm | Wide quilt backing |
Typical uses are summarized from fabric-width charts (The Fabric Calculator, Fabric Formula). Mills and shops vary, so check the listing or measure the bolt.
Usable width
Selvages are the tightly woven edges. They often carry printing and may shrink differently, so most projects avoid cutting into them. One chart puts 44/45 in quilting cotton at roughly 40–42 in usable after selvages (source). Pre-washing can take away another few percent. The planner works out usable width = width × (1 − width shrinkage) − 2 × selvage.
Width changes yardage in steps
Take 19 ¼ in wide pieces. Two fit across 43 in usable, and three only fit once you have at least 57 ¾ in usable, so a 58 in bolt with ½ in selvages (57 in usable) still fits only two. Going from 45 in to 58 in buys you nothing for those pieces until a third fits across. The width comparison lays out your actual pieces on every common width.