Article: How To Calculate Stretch Percentage
How To Calculate Stretch Percentage
If you've ever wondered how to calculate a fabric's stretch percentage, this one's for you! Before you dive into cutting out your next knit project, join us in learning how to calculate the stretch percentage of your fave fabric. Ready to dive in? Grab your ruler and follow along!
What Is Stretch Percentage?
In essence, stretch percentage is a way of measuring how much give a fabric has when stretched from a fixed point (aka how far it's able to stretch). You'll find that most (but not all) woven fabrics will have little to no stretch, while knit fabrics can vary greatly in their ability to stretch — this often correlates to the amount of spandex or elastane in their fiber contents.
Why Should I Care About Stretch Percentage?
Many knit patterns are designed with a certain stretch percentage in mind to ensure that a garment can be worn comfortably without restricting movement and can be taken on & off with ease. This means it's important to always double-check how much stretch your fabric has before beginning a project to make sure it's the right fit for your pattern!
How To Calculate Stretch Percentage
1. Line up your fabric crosswise against a ruler
2. Pinch the width at 0" (0cm) and 10" (25cm) — You can pinch at whatever width you want, just make a note of that width!
3. Stretch your 10" (25cm) pinch as wide as you can
4. Note the maximum stretched measurement
5. Use the following calculation:
Stretched Amount - Starting Amount = X
X / Starting Amount = Y
Y x 100 = Z% stretch percentage
Eg. 16" (40cm) - 10" (25cm) = 6" (15cm)
6" (15cm) / 10" (25cm) = 0.6
0.6 x 100 = 60% stretch percentage
Want to eliminate the guesswork even further? We include the stretch percentage in the product description of all our stretchy fabrics so that you can be confident you've found the right one for your project!
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