When you buy a pattern for knit fabrics, it’s important to know the stretch percentage of your fabric. Every knit pattern is designed for a certain amount of stretch. If your fabric has more or less stretch than the pattern requires, the finished garment may turn out too tight or too loose.
Measuring the stretch of your fabric before you start sewing helps you choose the right fabric and achieve the fit the pattern was designed for.
In the following steps, I’ll show you how to calculate the stretch percentage of a fabric.
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Place your fabric along your ruler so that one point lines up at 0cm and another point lines up at 10cm. Make sure the fabric grainline is perpendicular to the ruler, so you are measuring the stretch correctly. |
 2. Stretch the fabric
Hold the fabric at the 0cm mark, then gently stretch the 10 cm point to the right until the fabric begins to resist. Do not overstretch, stretch just as much as the fabric would naturally stretch when worn. Watch where the 10 cm mark ends up on the ruler. |
 3. Calculate stretch percentage
Use this formula to determine the stretch: So if your fabric stretches from 10 cm to 12 cm, then your fabric has 20% stretch. |
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Download the Stretch Guide (A4 & US Letter)
You can download it here: |
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Align your fabric with the 0 - 10 cm section of the chart. Place the fabric so one point lines up at 0 and another point lines up at 10. Make sure the grainline of your fabric matches the grainline shown on the chart. Mark the 10 cm point with a pin or a pen. |
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Hold the fabric at 0, then gently stretch the marked 10 cm point to the right until the fabric begins to resist. Do not overstretch. Stretch the fabric only as much as it would comfortably stretch when worn. Watch where the 10 cm mark lands on the scale. For example, if it reaches 12 cm, the fabric has 20% stretch. |
I’ve made a stretch guide chart to make it easier to quickly determine your fabric’s stretch percentage. The Stretch Guide comes in A4 and US Letter size. Make sure to download the version that matches your printer paper format.
1. Align your fabric
2. Stretch the fabric
