Buying Fabric at Abakhan: How Much Do You Need for Your Project?

A low price per metre only helps if the fabric makes the project you have planned. A narrow cloth may require more length, a large print may need extra fabric for matching, and a bargain remnant may be too short for the largest pattern piece. Before ordering from Abakhan, turn your sewing idea into a short materials list and compare the cost of finishing it.

This guide focuses on buying enough suitable fabric without paying for an unnecessary stash. When your quantities are settled, check the Abakhan discount code page for offers to assess against your actual basket. A code is only a saving if it applies to the products you need and reduces the final amount payable.

Start with the pattern, size and fabric width

For a garment, choose the pattern view and size before buying fabric. Read its recommended fabric types and the quantity table for the width you are considering. A flowing blouse and a structured bag can both use woven fabric, but that does not make their requirements interchangeable. Check composition, weight, stretch and care instructions alongside the colour.

Keep length and width separate. Ordering two metres normally describes the length along the roll; it does not mean a two-metre square. Abakhan’s product-page ordering guidance says its fabric sold by the metre is supplied in one piece, with a quantity of two giving a two-metre length. Still check the particular listing’s sales unit, especially for packs, panels or bundles.

A wider fabric can sometimes fit pattern pieces more efficiently, but do not reduce the required length by a simple width ratio. Pieces must fit the cutting layout and grain direction. Use the pattern’s relevant width column, or check a full-size layout before changing its recommendation.

Allow for print direction and preparation

Stripes, checks and large motifs need more thought than a small scattered print. Decide which seams need matching, and check whether a design has a clear top and bottom. A one-way design or nap can prevent you from turning pieces around to save space. Follow the pattern’s allowance for these fabrics rather than assuming its shortest cutting layout will work.

Read the fabric’s preparation advice before settling the order quantity. If pre-washing is recommended, account for any stated shrinkage allowance before cutting. Avoid adding the same allowance twice if the pattern or your calculation already includes it. If the information is unclear, ask the retailer about that specific cloth rather than guessing from the fibre name alone.

Use a sample when a mistake would cost more

A screen cannot reliably show how a fabric feels, hangs or looks against your existing clothes. Abakhan’s FAQ lists samples at £1.50 each, including processing and delivery, where the sample option is available. Some low-stock fabrics cannot be sampled. A small sample order can be sensible before committing to several metres of an unfamiliar material.

Check the sample in daylight, hold it against the planned lining and test whether its feel suits the project. Treat the sample as a suitability check, not a reservation of stock. Before ordering the full length, confirm that the same colour and enough fabric remain available.

Buy a remnant for a defined job

When considering a remnant or pre-cut bundle, write down the dimensions of each usable piece. Several small pieces do not replace one continuous length when a pattern needs an uninterrupted front, back or sleeve. Check for faults and whether you can position every piece around them without changing the grain direction.

A short cut can work well for pocket linings, a small pouch, patchwork or a repair you have already measured. It is less useful if you must buy a second fabric, extra lining and new fastenings simply to find a use for it. Compare the total price of the piece you must buy with the cost of the required length from a roll.

For a purely illustrative calculation, suppose a suitable wider fabric needs two metres at £8 per metre, while a narrower alternative needs three metres at £6. Their fabric totals are £16 and £18 respectively, before other supplies and delivery. These are invented figures, not Abakhan prices, and the required lengths must come from your own pattern layout.

Add delivery and the missing haberdashery

List thread, interfacing, lining, zips, buttons and elastic before comparing baskets. Check what you already own, including quantities and suitable colours. Buying the fabric cheaply and then placing another order for one forgotten zip can undermine the saving.

At the time checked, Abakhan’s delivery page lists Royal Mail Tracked 48 at £3.99 and free qualifying mainland delivery around the £35 threshold. Its wording differs between “£35 or more” and “over £35”, so verify a basket exactly at that boundary at checkout. Regional exclusions include the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man; the page lists a £6.29 charge for those areas.

Add an extra item to reach free delivery only if it is genuinely needed and the revised total makes sense. Confirm the postage again after any promotion is applied, and allow for dispatch time as well as the carrier’s delivery estimate.

Compare the same project with Minerva

Minerva is a relevant alternative for a dressmaking or craft-fabric order because its listings provide details such as width, composition, weight and stretch. Choose a comparable material first, then calculate the length needed for that fabric. Compare the complete basket in pounds, including delivery, rather than comparing two headline metre prices.

The Minerva discount code page can help you check offers while making that comparison. A different width or a more suitable fabric can matter more than a larger percentage reduction. Do not assume similarly named fabrics from the two retailers are identical.

Check before the fabric is cut

Abakhan’s online returns policy excludes measured items such as fabric and haberdashery from its standard returns offer. Do not order extra colours assuming unwanted cut lengths can simply go back. For a fault or damage, its policy directs customers to contact the retailer with the order details.

Before paying, confirm the exact fabric, usable width, order unit, continuous length, preparation allowance and final delivered total. Once it arrives, inspect the material before washing or cutting. A carefully chosen quantity that completes your project is better value than a cheaper piece that stays unused.