How Much Fabric Do You Need for a Table Runner?

Table runners are simple rectangles, but hems and a directional print can change the purchase length. Write the finished length and width, add the end and side hems, then check whether the whole cut fits within the fabric’s usable width or needs a lengthwise layout.

Convert finished size to cut size

For a finished runner 72 inches long and 16 inches wide, a 1-inch double-fold hem at each end adds 4 inches to length. A 1-inch side hem on each long edge adds 4 inches to width. The cut size is therefore 76 by 20 inches. If the fabric is 44 inches usable, the runner fits across the width, leaving room for a second runner or napkins only if the grain and print allow it.

When several runners are cut from the same bolt, pack their cut widths across the usable width first. Two 20-inch cuts fit within 44 inches, with 4 inches left over. The length remains 76 inches for each runner. If the fabric has a one-way motif, keep every runner oriented in the same direction even if rotating a piece would reduce waste.

Worked example

Plan three runners at 72 by 16 inches finished, with 1-inch double-fold hems. Cut size is 76 by 20 inches. Two widths fit across 44 usable inches, so the first two runners use 76 inches of length and the third uses another 76 inches. Raw length is 152 inches, or 4.222 yards. Add 5% cutting reserve: 152 × 1.05 = 159.6 inches. Round up to 162 inches, or 4.5 yards, if the shop sells in one-eighth-yard increments.

If the bolt measures only 42 inches usable, two 20-inch widths still fit, but a 1-inch defect margin may reduce the legal width to 40 inches. Recalculate with the smaller width instead of assuming the label remains usable.

Verification checklist

• Record finished length and width separately from cut size.
• Add end and side hems explicitly.
• Measure usable width after selvage and defects.
• Pack repeated runners across the width before adding rows.
• Mark nap, stripes, and one-way motifs.
• Add a visible reserve for cutting and squaring.
• Round upward to the seller’s increment.

Caution

Table linens can shrink, skew, or lose a clean rectangle after laundering. Prewash when the fabric care plan requires it, then recheck the dimensions before cutting the final hem. A pattern repeat can also require a longer cut than the arithmetic shown here.

Sources and derivation

Use the fabric width reference and rectangular fabric yardage calculator for the width and row plan. The shrinkage and cutting waste guide explains why those adjustments remain separate.