How Much Fabric Do You Need for a Hoodie?
A hoodie yardage chart built from real published sewing patterns, plus how fabric width, size, hood lining, and ribbing change how much to buy.
Short answer: most adult hoodie patterns call for about 2 to 2½ yards of 60-inch-wide fabric. Smaller sizes and simpler styles take less, and larger sizes, oversized fits, or lined hoods take more. Add about ½ yard of rib knit for cuffs and the hem band.
That’s a starting point, not a rule. The only number that really matters is the one printed on your pattern for your size and fabric width. Below is a chart from real published patterns so you can see how much yardage varies, followed by how to figure out your own number.
Hoodie yardage chart (from published patterns)
Every figure below is copied from the pattern’s own published fabric requirements. Follow the links to check them. Sizes are each pattern’s own size names, which don’t line up exactly from one brand to another.
Know Me ME2023 (pullover hoodie), 60” fabric
From the ME2023 instruction sheet. Sizes are given with chest measurements in inches.
| Size (chest) | S (34–36) | M (38–40) | L (42–44) | XL (46–48) | XXL (50–52) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoodie A, main fabric | 2½ yd | 2½ yd | 2½ yd | 2¾ yd | 2⅞ yd |
| Hoodie B, main fabric | 2 yd | 2⅛ yd | 2¼ yd | 2⅜ yd | 2½ yd |
| Lining (A, B) | ⅝ yd | ⅝ yd | ¾ yd | ¾ yd | ¾ yd |
Sinclair Patterns Uno hoodie, 59–60” fabric (hood option)
From the Uno pattern page.
| Size | US 0–6 | US 8–12 | US 14–18 | US 20–24 | US 26–30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main fabric | 1¾ yd | 2 yd | 2¼ yd | 2½ yd | 2¾ yd |
Hey June Halifax Hoodie, 55” or wider fabric
From the Halifax listing on Threadloop: 2 yd for all views and sizes (XS–2XL), except View B in sizes XS–XL, which takes 1½ yd.
Helen’s Closet Solstice Hoodie (zip-up), 57” fabric
From the Solstice listing at The Fold Line. Sizes US 0–34.
| View | 57” fabric | 45” fabric |
|---|---|---|
| View A (hip length) | 1.6–2.4 yd | 2–3.2 yd |
| View B (cropped) | 1.5–2.2 yd | 1.9–3 yd |
| Ribbing (all views) | 0.4–0.5 yd | 0.4–0.5 yd |
What the chart tells you
Across these four patterns, adult hoodies on wide (55–60”) fabric range from 1½ yards for the smallest sizes and simplest views up to 2⅞ yards for the largest size of a fuller style. Most sizes fall between 2 and 2½ yards. If you don’t have a pattern yet and just want a ballpark, 2½ yards of 60” fabric covers most adult sizes in the patterns above. Check your pattern before you cut.
The only number that really matters is the one printed on your pattern for your size and fabric width.
Five things that change how much you need
1. Fabric width
Width matters more than people expect. The Solstice numbers above show it: the same hoodie takes up to 2.4 yd on 57” fabric but up to 3.2 yd on 45” fabric. Narrow fabric means pattern pieces can’t sit side by side, so you need more length.
Most sweatshirt knits are sold around 60” wide, but always check the listing. If your fabric is narrower than the width your pattern lists, use the narrower-width row, or lay out your pieces on paper to measure.
2. Your size
In every chart above, bigger sizes need more fabric. The jumps are uneven, though. In ME2023, S, M, and L all take the same 2½ yards for Hoodie A, then XL and XXL go up. Look up your exact size and don’t guess from the middle.
3. Style and fit
Oversized and dropped-shoulder hoodies, long lengths, kangaroo pockets, and big hoods all take more fabric. Cropped views take less. In the Solstice chart, the cropped View B needs a little less than the hip-length View A.
4. Lining the hood
A lined hood roughly doubles the fabric for that piece. ME2023 lists ⅝ to ¾ yard of separate lining fabric. If you line the hood with the main fabric instead, add a similar amount to your main yardage, or follow your pattern’s instructions.
5. Shrinkage and directional fabric
- Prewashing: cotton knits often shrink a little in the first wash. Buying a bit extra gives you a buffer.
- Nap and stripes: knits often look slightly different depending on which direction they’re cut, and stripes need matching. Many patterns use a “with nap” layout for knits; ME2023 does for all sizes. Matching stripes takes extra fabric beyond that.
How to figure out your exact yardage
- Find your size on the pattern’s body measurement chart. Use your chest or bust measurement for a hoodie.
- Find your fabric’s width on the listing. Use the row on the yardage chart that matches it, or the next narrower one.
- Read your number where your size and width meet.
- Add extras: lining (if separate), ribbing, and a small buffer for prewash shrinkage or stripe matching.
- Round up to the nearest quarter or half yard, depending on how your shop sells fabric.
How much ribbing for a hoodie?
Cuffs and a hem band don’t use much. Helen’s Closet lists 0.4–0.5 yd of ribbing for the Solstice. Sinclair’s Uno lists 7 in (18 cm) of ribbing for sizes US 0–10 and 12–14 in (30–36 cm) for US 12–30 if you use rib for the bottom band and cuffs. For most adult hoodies, ½ yard of rib is plenty, unless your pattern also uses rib for the neckline or a wide waistband.
Buying for two hoodies or a matching set?
Don’t just double one hoodie’s yardage. Lay out both sets of pieces (on paper, or use the pattern’s layout diagrams), because pieces from two garments can sometimes share fabric width. If you’re adding joggers, check that pattern’s own chart. ME2023, for example, lists separate yardage for its shorts.
A worked example
Say you’re making ME2023 Hoodie B in size M with a lined hood, on 60” French terry:
- Main fabric: 2⅛ yd (size M, 60”)
- Hood lining: ⅝ yd (size M) in jersey or the same terry
- Ribbing: about ½ yd
- Buffer for prewashing: round the main fabric up to 2¼ or 2½ yd
Total shopping list: about 2½ yd of terry, ⅝ yd of lining, and ½ yd of rib. If you use the terry for the lining too, buy about 3 yd of terry.
Where to buy hoodie fabric
Hoodie fabric (French terry, sweatshirt fleece and rib knit) is easy to find online. Shops differ much more on width, how they sell it, and whether you can return a cut, so check those things before you check out:
- Width: the charts above assume 55–60”. Some shops list knits narrower than that. Use the matching row.
- Units: some shops sell by the yard, others by the half yard. Blackbird Fabrics sells by the half meter, so convert first: 2½ yards is about 2.3 meters.
- Rib sold separately: matching rib knit is usually its own listing, so add it on its own.
- Returns: many shops treat cut fabric as final sale. Order a swatch if you’re unsure about weight or color.
We compared shipping and return policies at ten online stores, including Mood, Stonemountain & Daughter, Cali Fabrics and Style Maker, in our guide to the best online fabric stores. If you shopped at Joann before it closed, that guide covers alternatives too.
Common questions
How many yards of fabric do I need for a hoodie?
In the published patterns above, adult hoodies on 55–60” fabric take between 1½ and 2⅞ yards, and most sizes need 2–2½ yards. Your pattern’s chart is the final word.
How much fabric for an oversized hoodie?
More than the standard fit, because the body, sleeves, and hood are bigger. Use your pattern’s chart for the oversized view. If you’re sizing up a regular pattern, use the yardage for the size you’re actually cutting.
How much fabric for a kid’s hoodie?
Less than an adult’s, but it varies a lot by age and pattern, and none of the patterns above are kids’ patterns. Check the yardage chart on the kids’ pattern you’re using.
Can I make a hoodie with 1 yard of fabric?
Usually not for an adult. None of the adult patterns above list less than 1½ yards of wide fabric. You can make a hoodie from 1 yard of main fabric if you color-block, using a second fabric for the sleeves or hood.
What fabric should I use?
See our guides to the best fabric for hoodies and sweatshirts and French terry vs fleece. No serger? See how to sew knits without a serger.
