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Calcimator

Pleating Calculator

Calculate how much fabric you need for knife, box, or inverted box pleats. Enter finished width, pleat depth, count, and type.

Inputs

in
in

Results

Total Fabric Needed

72 in

≈ 12 smartphones

Fabric in Yards2 yd
Fabric Hidden in Pleats36 in
Pleat Spacing3 in
Fabric-to-Finished Ratio2×
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter visible width per pleat (inches), fabric hidden in pleats (inches), and finished total width.
  2. Set pleat depth (inches) and number of pleats.
  3. Review total fabric needed, total yards, pleat fabric, and pleat spacing.
  4. Press knife pleats flat with steam on the right side -- leave box pleats unpressed for softer drape.

How the result changes with Finished Width

Finished WidthTotal Fabric Needed
1753 in
4682 in
80116 in
109145 in

What each input means

Finished Width
Desired finished width of the pleated section
Pleat Depth
Depth of each pleat fold
Number of Pleats
Total number of pleats
Pleat Type
1=Knife (2× depth), 2=Box (4× depth), 3=Inverted Box (4× depth)

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Finished Width = 36, Pleat Depth = 1.5, Number of Pleats = 12, Pleat Type = 1 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Total Fabric Needed
    Total Fabric Needed
    72 = 72
  3. Calculate Fabric in Yards
    Fabric in Yards = round((totalFabric / 36) * 100) / 100
    2 = 2
  4. Calculate Fabric Hidden in Pleats
    Fabric Hidden in Pleats
    36 = 36

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