How much fabric for a 44-46 R suit?

[edmorel]

My friend took 4 yards of fabric to LNC tailor in Chinatown NYC. The guy measured the fabric, measured my friend and a day later cut the jacket. He now called him and said that he does not have enough fabric. thoughts?

 

[paul]

For the most part, it's dependent upon :
a. The fabric width, ie, whether 58 or 60 wide
b. Styling, single or double breasted; whether styling requires additional
pockets, or pockets are large patch pockets, etc,.

From my experience, a suit this size would normally require 4.5 would be sufficient at 60 wide fabric. 5 yards with be a much safer amount. Again, you alway's should consider the suit styling, paying particular attention if you want an assortment of pockets on your jacket, hidden pockets, back patch pockets, flaps, etc,. For future reference, I would alway's consider beginning at 5 yards (at minimum

).

 

[chorse123]

Also depends on the pattern. 4 yards for that size suit would probably be too little, certainly if it's a large check.

EDIT - yeesh, Friday afternoon and my brain is fried.

 

[whoopee]

4 yards is cutting it close, and frankly some tailors out there need the extra leeway. I don't think your friend is getting screwed, if that's what you're asking. The other posters cover the other considerations.

 

[Matt]

yeah i use about 3.5 meters (which is just under 4 yards) for myself, and I am a 40, so I could see that coming in a little under.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Depends on the tailor.

It it is 60" wide, I am fine with 3.75 yards. For a three piece 4.25 yards. Some tailors aren't as skilled and need a little more, but 4 yards is a lot of fabric for a two piece suit for me, irrespective of the pattern. I am a 46R btw.

Additionally, what kind of tailor would cut the fabric before knowing how much he needed? Isn't that what a pattern is for, to lay it on top of the fabric to make sure everything can be cut?

 

[Manton]

Unless the pattern is an ENORMOUS plaid, 4 yards is way more than enough for a two piece in that size. Five yards is way more than enough for a 3-piece. I once gave 4 yards to a tailor, and only after he cut the fronts did he discover a small flaw. There was plenty of cloth left over to cut another front. And I am a bigger size.

Pretty much all suitings are 60" or 150 cm goods. 60" goods have 58" of usable cloth, in between the selvage. Those two inches are not really part of the equation; every tailor discounts selvage as a matter of course. Only a few (increasingly rare) tweeds are woven on 30" looms.

 

[edmorel]

Thanks everyone for the replies. The fabric is 60 inches wide and it is not a plaid but rather a pinstripe. After a furious 10 minute speaker phone conversation in Cantonese, which required the language services of two other co-workers, it turned out to be a mistake. Mr. LNC tailors (he does not give his name) said that he confused my friend's suit fabric with that of another gentleman and that in fact 4 yards was more than enough for his single breasted, side vent suit with one pair of pants. So Mr. LNC tailor does know how to cut a suit, he does know how to measure but it seems like he might be suffering from too much business or very disorganized record keeping or both. I shall post pics of the suit once it is done and according to what my friend has told me about Mr. LNC's measurement process and his suggestions on fit, it seems that this will be a very nice, full canvas, hand stitched suit. Price is, in Mr. LNC's words, $500, no tax, no credit card! He says he outsources the working buttonholes and pick stitching and he charges $20 for each so all in the suit will be $615 ($75 for 4 yards of Holland and Sherry navy with light grey pinstripes off ebay). The Cantonese teleconference, for those of us who are not use to hearing Cantonese speakers, was surreal.

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by edmorel

($75 for 4 yards of Holland and Sherry navy with light grey pinstripes off ebay).
From Howard? How does it look and feel btw?

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by m@T

From Howard?

How does it look and feel btw?

Yep!, Howard's fabrics are awesome. I also got a H&S navy chalkstripe and a grey prince of wales with some blue undertones. My stuff is pretty much year round but my friends H&S was super 120 and it's a little light for NYC winters. The drape and feel on all of them is wonderful. Funny thing is my friend was breaking my chops about using Dung as he felt that I will not be able to communicate with them meanwhile he is having a tougher time here in NYC.