How many yards of fabric to make a suit?

[Guttersnipe]

I have a line on some deadstock 30's or 40's suiting yardage, but I wanted to to double check with some of the more knowledgeable folks of the the lounge to see of there's enough for what I want to do.

I found really varied info online online, so I though I'd throw it out there to see if anyone knows -- from experience -- roughly how much fabric it takes to make two-piece or three-piece around the 40R to 42R neighborhood?

Thanks!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

1.5m trousers, 2.5m jacket to be safe, another 1m for waistcoat (?). Assuming standard fabric width (50(something) inches).

bk

 

[Guttersnipe]

Thanks BK. So about 5 meters total -- or roughly 3 1/2 yards -- somehow I though it would be more! How much extra do you think would be needed for extras like a belt-back, patch pockets, or double pleats for the pants?

 

[Qirrel]

Thanks BK. So about 5 meters total -- or roughly 3 1/2 yards -- somehow I though it would be more! How much extra do you think would be needed for extras like a belt-back, patch pockets, or double pleats for the pants?

I think you mean 5 1/2 yards. And that should be more than enough for a pleated and belted back coat.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Also a patterned fabric will use more than a plain, due to the need to match the pattern. Not too much more, but more.

Why not ask your tailor? Given information about the fabric and what you want made, he can give you far better advice than the inevitable speculations and vaguenesses of the online community (self included; though I must say that the metre-ages I gave are the numbers my tailor asks for).

bk

 

[Lady Day]

Between 4 1/2 to 5 yards seems pretty standard for your size, though I'd buy an extra yard just in case a cut is done wrong (it happens).

LD

 

[Tomasso]

Why not ask your tailor?

Ditto, and be specific as to what you want .....Double breasted, patch pocket, belted jacket..... fuller cut multi-pleated trousers......that can all add up. And, to be safe you'll want to buy maybe a half yard more with CMT (Cut-Make-Trim= supplying your own fabric to a tailor) in the event a cutting mistake or fabric flaws (if buying in person take a really good look at the goods). Also, bespoke tailors will generally require less fabric than MTM factories, which tend to be wasteful.