Sewing Project Cost Calculator
Sewing is usually not cheaper. Work out the break-even fabric price, and what your hours are really earning if it is.
Where the money goes
Sewing your own clothes is usually not cheaper
A tool that pretended otherwise would not be much use. Three yards of ordinary dress fabric at $18, plus $22 of notions and a $12 pattern, is $88 of materials before a single hour of your time — against a shop dress at $85 that somebody else already made.
| Fabric price | Materials | vs $85 dress | With 12h at $15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8/yd | $58 | saves $27 | $238 |
| $12/yd | $70 | saves $15 | $250 |
| $17/yd | $85 | costs $0 more | $265 |
| $18/yd | $88 | costs $3 more | $268 |
| $25/yd | $109 | costs $24 more | $289 |
| $35/yd | $139 | costs $54 more | $319 |
The break-even is worth having as a number rather than a feeling. For this project it is $17.00 a yard — under that, the materials alone beat buying it; over it, they do not. That is achievable with quilting cotton, remnants and sale fabric, and it is also below what most nice fabric costs. Which is why the honest answer is "sometimes".
Put any value at all on your time and it stops being close. Twelve hours at $15 adds $180, and there is no longer a comparison to make.
Which is not an argument against sewing
It is an argument that the reason to sew is fit, fabric quality, control and enjoyment — none of which the shop dress has — rather than saving money. Those are real things and worth paying for. Being clear about which one you are buying makes for better decisions about both, and stops the disappointment of finishing something beautiful and then discovering it cost more than the shop version.
Home furnishings are the exception worth knowing about. Curtains, cushions and roman blinds are long straight seams against very high shop prices, and they win on cost more often than clothes do.
The costs people leave out
| Notion | Typical | |
|---|---|---|
| Thread | $4 | One reel per garment, more if topstitching in a second colour. |
| Interfacing | $6 | Collars, cuffs, plackets and waistbands. |
| Zip | $4 | An invisible zip costs more than a standard one. |
| Buttons | $8 | The cost that surprises people. Good buttons are not cheap. |
| Elastic | $3 | Waistbands and cuffs. |
| Lining | $12 | Effectively a second garment underneath. |
| Bias binding | $4 | Or make your own from the main fabric. |
| Trim or lace | $10 | Priced by the yard and easy to underestimate. |
- The muslin. A first attempt at anything fitted usually needs a test version, and leaving it out is how a project comes in at double. There is a box for it above and it moves the break-even noticeably.
- The pattern. Often forgotten because it feels like a one-off, though it is only a one-off if you make the thing more than once.
- Thread for a whole garment, not the reel already in the drawer.
- The failures. Fabric cut wrong, a zip inserted twice, a first version that does not fit. These are the real cost of learning and they are worth it, but they are not free.
How to use
- Pick a project or enter your own yardage and notions.
- Put in what the same thing costs in a shop.
- Add the muslin if it is a first attempt at something fitted.
- Try it with your time valued, then with it at zero.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to sew your own clothes?
Usually not. Three yards of ordinary dress fabric at $18, plus $22 of notions and a $12 pattern, is $88 of materials against a shop dress at $85 that somebody else already made. It can be cheaper with inexpensive fabric, and this page works out exactly where that line falls for your project.
What fabric price do I need for it to be worth it?
For a three-yard project with $34 of pattern and notions replacing an $85 garment, fabric has to come in under $17.00 a yard for the materials alone to beat buying it. That is achievable with quilting cotton, remnants and sale fabric, and it is also below what most nice dressmaking fabric costs.
Should I count my own time?
It depends what question you are asking. If you are deciding whether to sew or buy, yes — twelve hours at $15 adds $180 and there is no longer a comparison. If you are deciding what to do with an evening you were going to spend anyway, no, because that time was not for sale. The page lets you try it both ways.
So why sew at all?
Fit, fabric quality, control over the details, and because it is enjoyable — none of which the shop version has. Those are real things and worth paying for. Being clear that they are what you are buying, rather than a saving, makes for better decisions and avoids the disappointment of finishing something lovely and finding it cost more.
What do people leave out of the cost?
The pattern, interfacing, thread for a whole garment rather than the reel already in the drawer, and the muslin. A first attempt at anything fitted usually needs a test version, and leaving it out is how a project comes in at double. The failures count too — fabric cut wrong, a zip inserted twice.
What is a muslin and do I need one?
A test garment in cheap fabric, made to check the fit before cutting anything expensive. For a fitted garment, or a pattern you have not made before, it is the difference between finding a problem in $15 of calico and finding it in $60 of wool. It is also the cost most people forget to budget for.
Which projects actually come out cheaper?
Home furnishings, most often. Curtains, cushions and roman blinds are long straight seams against very high shop prices, and they win on cost far more reliably than clothes do. Simple bags are another. Anything with a collar, a zip and buttonholes is where the hours pile up.
How long does a garment actually take?
Longer than you think, and much longer the first time. A simple skirt is a few hours; a button shirt with collar, cuffs and plackets is closer to ten; a tailored coat is measured in days. The presets on this page assume you are comfortable with the technique, not learning it.
What is the effective hourly rate?
Where making it does come out cheaper on materials, it is the saving divided by the hours — what your time bought. It is usually a sobering number: saving $27 over eight hours is $3.38 an hour. It is shown only when materials genuinely beat the shop price, because a negative version of it would be meaningless.
How do I estimate notions?
Count them individually rather than guessing a round number. Thread, interfacing, a zip, buttons, elastic, lining and trim all have real prices, and buttons in particular surprise people — good ones are not cheap and a shirt needs eight. There is a table of typical costs on this page to work from.
Does buying fabric on sale change the answer?
Substantially, and it is the main reason the answer is ever yes. Fabric at half price moves the whole calculation, which is why experienced sewists buy fabric when it is cheap rather than when they need it. The trade-off is a cupboard full of fabric bought for no particular project.
Does this send anything anywhere?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is stored or uploaded.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded, logged, or stored.