What Can I Sew With 2 Yards of Fabric? (25 Sewing Projects)
All you need is the idea. Then you know how much fabric to buy to turn that idea into a reality. creating sewing projects is not the hard part, it is thinking them up that can be difficult at times. When you want unique and original sometimes you have to borrow ideas from others.
What can I sew with 2 yards of fabric? If you take the time to brainstorm, you will find that there are hundreds of projects you can make with 2 yards of fabrics. That includes making several that only require less than a yard for each one. There are a wealth of options you can try to make.
To learn more about creating something out of 2 yards or less of fabric just continue to read our article. it helps get those ideas for you so you have a myriad of options to select from. Take a few minutes to see what projects appeal to you.
2 Yards of Fabric 101
How Big Are 2 Yards of Fabric?
This is the grand thing about sewing with raw fabrics. 2 yards is often more than enough material to work with. Many people do not know how large 2 yards can actually be.
As most people know, you can buy fabric in different widths. The smallest being 36 inches or one yard wide. When you buy that size of material you are only getting 2 square yards of material. Not a lot in some people’s minds.
But when you buy fabric in larger widths you are getting 72 inches times 45, 72 x 54, 72 x 60, and all the way up to 110 inches wide. You are coming out ahead when you buy 2 yards in the wider widths.
72 by 60 is 6 feet by 5 feet or 30 square feet of material to work with. This is more than enough to create some wonderful gifts, clothing items, bags, wallets, cushions, and more. Your creative juices should have a field day with so much fabric to work with.
That much material means the sky is the limit on what type of projects you can create on any given day.
How Much are 2 Yards of Fabric in Inches?
If you know your basic math, 1 yard is 36 inches long. Add another yard into that total and you have 72 inches lengthwise of material to use. That equates to 6 feet of material all ready to do your sewing bidding.
Now when you buy 2 yards of 110-inch wide material you are getting 7,920 square inches of fabric to work with. That is almost 10 feet of material wide times 6 feet long and that translates into 60 square feet of material to work with.
Surely, by now your mind is racing thinking about what you could make with that much material at your disposal. That is not wrong. Find the right fabric in the right width and let your sewing talent take over.
Just don’t let your enthusiasm influence you to take on projects that are beyond your skill level. See what you can do and then challenge yourself bit by bit to help you improve.
2 Yards of Fabric Dimensions
This will depend on how wide the bolt of fabric is. As we mentioned earlier fabric comes in different widths and some of the wider materials may not be suited for your next sewing project. Then some of the slimmer ones may also not be suited for certain sewing projects.
You have to do some calculating before you go out and buy to see which width of 2 yards of material will work best for you. Buying fabric should never be go out and pick up two yards just because the material looks pretty.
It may not be large enough for the project you want to use it on. Make sure you know how much material you need before buying those 2 yards of attractive fabric. Having pretty material lying around your sewing room only takes up space and wastes a lot of money.
2 Yards of Fabric In cm
This calculation isn't that hard either and you do not have to convert it into metric to make the calculations. As everyone should know by now there are 2 1/2 cm in every inch. That means that for every foot of material you will have 30 cm.
Multiply 1 by 6 and 30 by 6 you will reach the totals of 6 feet and 180 cm which is the length of 2 yards. Now if you want to get the width of the fabric in centimeters then multiply the 36, 45, 54, 60, and 110, examples only, by 2.5.
For 36-inch width fabric, you will have 90 by 90 cms (3 times 30 both ways). For 72 by 45-inch fabric you will end up with 180 by 112.5 cm; then for 72 by 54-inch material you end up with 180 by 154 cm; for 72 by 60-inch fabric you have 180 by 150 cm worth of material.
Finally for 72 by 110-inch material you end up with 180 by 275 cm. No matter how you measure it, you still have a lot of fabric to work with.
How to Measure 2 Yards of Fabric
To measure out 2 yards of material you need to know if the fabric has been folded on a bolt or sold by the roll and unfolded. from the bolt, the yard is measured lengthwise along the selvage edge of the material.
Usually, the bolt of material is folded from selvage edge to selvage edge. Rolls of fabric are measured simply using the yardstick and measuring the length as it comes off the roll.
As we said at the beginning of this article this is where one of the great aspects of sewing comes into play. You can find material at different widths giving a lot more material than you need. According to one source you can find different fabrics in the following widths- 12, 16, 24, 30, 36 ,38, 42, 48, 54, 58, 59, 70, 72, 108, 120 inches.
This is good not only because you get extra material but you also get enough to cover for any unusable fabric that needs to be cut off. The only thing you have to worry about is if the store clerk cut the material in a straight line at the 2-yard mark.
This may be an honest mistake as stretchy fabric doesn't always co-operate with store clerks and their scissors.
What Can I Sew With 2 Yards of Fabric?
If you are making different clothing items for different people, you will find that you can make more clothing for smaller people out of those 2 yards than you can for larger people. What this means is you have to plan your projects accordingly.
2 yards of material are required for the average 6’ to 6’ 3” man to make one pair of pants. For a small child, you may have enough for 2, and for a larger person you may end up with a little bit of fabric leftover.
That is just to give you an idea of how much material you have in 2 yards. Some of the projects you can make are tote bags, handbags, wallets, shirts, t-shirts, bandanas, hats, cushions, pillow cases, rugs, wall hangings, small blouses, and the list can go on.
Not every project you need 2 yards for will take two yards and it is possible to make more than one item out of the fabric. Then because people are different and come in different sizes 2 yards of fabric may be more than enough material.
Easy 2 Yards of Fabric Sewing Projects
The term easy is relative to the amount of difficulty that lessens as one gets more experience. What may be difficult for a beginner may be a piece of cake to an experienced sewer. We will place different projects here and let you decide which ones are easy for you or not.
- 1. a bow back dress - great for summer and other warm-weather days.
- 2. portable sewing station - when you travel this comes in handy.
- 3. a day date dress - it can be simple yet very stylish.
- 4. a picnic tote - when it is just the two of you.
- 5. regular tote bags for when you want to be casual and free or used for going to the supermarket.
- 6. aprons - one size doesn’t fit all but you can make some great ones for your bar-b-q king.
- 7. fabric organizers - for your office, sewing room, or kids’ rooms.
- 8. a flair dress - it may accentuate your figure and get you a lot of attention.
- 9. mini quilt - it can double as a wall hanging.
- 10. stuffed animals - a young child won’t know the difference and should treasure it for years.
- 11. scarves - you can make a variety of them to match your fashion style.
- 12. pet clothing - depending on the size of your dog of course.
- 13. summer wear - shorts, t-shirts, hats and you can make them form-fitting if you want.
- 14. table runner or table cloths - great for Christmas or other special occasions. Also depends on the size of your table.
- 15. sweaters - just make sure to get the arms the right length.
Honorable mention- hot pads for heated pots and pot holders to protect your hands
How to Make a Dress With 2 Yards of Fabric
Pinterest has lots of tutorials on making a dress with 2 yards of fabric. If the one we talk about here doesn’t fit your tastes then there are lots of options on the internet to help you find one that does.
Of course, the dress size and amount of fabric needed will depend on the size of the woman or girl you are making it for. These instructions are for a pillowcase dress for a young girl:
- Step 1: Cut out two identical pieces of fabric.
- Step 2: Fold the material and cut out 2 J shapes for the arms.
- Step 3: Cut out two strips of contrasting fabric about 2 inches wide that cover the width of the 2 pieces of fabric you already cut. Fold in half and then iron flat.
- Step 4: Now place the trim pieces on the right side of the dress fabric and sew them together. Fold down and sew again. Make sure to match up raw edges.
- Step 5: Now match the dress pieces making sure the right sides are facing each other and sew the sides.
- Step 6: Next fold the armholes over, iron flat, and pin. Then stitch the two sides together.
- Step 7: Fold the top of the dress over twice, hiding the raw edge and iron then sew together.
- Step 8: Cut your ribbon material and add to the dress then clean up any raw edges with pinking shears, etc.
The key is to measure twice and cut once. This principle applies throughout the dressmaking process. Keep in mind that the above is just a simple dress design and you can add any embellishments or nice features you want the person wearing the dress to have.
How to Make a Toga With 2 Yards of Fabric
If you know the history of the toga, you may have second thoughts about making one for yourself or your daughters. In the Roman world, according to one source and this has not been verified yet, the only women allowed to wear a toga were prostitutes.
However, we are not living in the Roman era so you will not be thought of as a lady of the evening but a stylish person when wearing a toga. Keep in mind this toga is not for men and basically only for shorter women or girls. Here is how to make one:
- Step 1: Select a material that you know will drape nicely and look good at the same time.
- Step 2: Stitch around all four edges to stop any unraveling from taking place. Believe it or not, this is the only sewing you will do in this project.
- Step 3: If you are wearing undergarments attach the material lengthwise to the waistband. If you are not, then have someone hold the material at your waist or hip.
- Step 4: Now wrap the material around your body once and pin the fabric together (the wrapped material to the piece at your waist or hips). For a child, you may have to go 1 1/2 times around her body. Use safety pins to protect yourself or your daughter.
- Step 5: Now take the rest of the fabric and toss it over the shoulder that is on the opposite of the pinned material.
- Step 6: Now tuck the material into your waist. Do this loosely so you have a good draping effect.
Adjust according to your modesty and the amount of physical activity you will be doing at your event.
What Else Can You Make With 2 Yards of Fabric?
There are lots of projects you can make with 2 yards of fabric or less. Here are some more ideas to get your mind thinking in the right direction:
- 1. heirloom dress - mostly for little girls and not big kids.
- 2. sunny day dress - or simple shift dress, pencil skirt, or even a wrap for the shoulders.
- 3. crossbody handbags - needs thicker material which requires a little more work.
- 4. work aprons - if your husband works in a difficult job that sees sparks, heat, and other risky materials.
- 5. baby blankets - there is always a need for these as well as other baby cloths.
- 6. a variety of tops - depending on the type of fabric you use from sheer to thicker cotton, etc., you can make a great top for skirts and different occasions.
- 7. poncho - for those days when it is cool out but you do not want to wear a coat.
- 8. pajamas - everyone needs these on a cold night.
- 9. catch all baskets - have a fabric basket to place all those items that have no place to call their own.
- 10. dining room chair pads - this is a good use for upholstery fabric and helps your chairs look modern and up to date or curtains for different rooms.
- 11. quilted chess board - it doesn’t have to be in black and white as long as there are 2 different colors on the board.
Some Final Words
As you can see, 2 yards of fabric goes a long way when you put your mind to it. There are thousands of little projects you can make with just 2 yards especially when you buy the larger widths. Do a little brainstorming to see what you and your family could use in your and their daily lives.
