Dressmaker fabric guide
450+ fabrics, five types, and the fabric decides most of your score. Here is how to choose and how much to buy.
Updated · checked against Build 443
How do fabrics work in Dressmaker?
Every fabric has a type (cotton, linen, wool, silk or velvet), a colour or print, and tags such as Flowers, Romantic or Gothic. A commission scores the tags, colour and fabric type of the finished dress, and since Build 443 colour and type are weighted by the area each fabric covers. Tags come from fabrics and pattern pieces, not accessories, so a Flowers requirement needs a floral fabric. You buy fabric by the metre at the International Emporium; the sketchbook shows the approximate total, and the calculator splits it per fabric and rounds up. When cutting, line the piece's arrow up with the weave for 100% Grain Quality; cutting on the bias changes how prints sit on the dress. In the sewing room the list only shows the first 10 m of each bolt.
- Types: cotton, linen, wool, silk, velvet
- 450+ fabrics
- Tags come from fabric, not accessories
- List shows only the first 10 m
The five fabric types
| Type | Look | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Matte, prints and florals | Day dresses, aprons, folk styles; Build 443 added a vine design type |
| Linen | Matte, textured weave | Workwear, summer, farm commissions |
| Wool | Heavy, muted | Jackets, coats, professional looks |
| Silk | Shiny, custom shader | Eveningwear, gradients (Burning Forest, Golden Dawn) |
| Velvet | Deep sheen | Gothic, royal and stage costumes |
Buying the right amount
- Read *Approx. Xm fabric required* in the sketchbook.
- Split it by fabric: big skirts take most of it.
- Round each fabric up to a whole metre, plus a small buffer for re-cuts.
- Buy in one trip and check the total in the calculator.
Grain, bias and patterned fabric
Each pattern piece has a grain arrow. Keep it parallel to the weave for full Grain Quality. Rotate with the scroll wheel; it snaps in steps. Cutting on the bias is allowed and changes how stripes and prints fall, which is great for style but costs grain points. Fully aligning a print across a cone-shaped skirt is not possible, so aim for the panels people see.
Fabrics added in Build 443
- Cotton design type: Autumnal Vine, Spring Vine, Taupe
- Lace: Silver Lace, Pastel Pink Lace
- Gradient silks: Burning Forest, Golden Dawn, Lavender Field, Snowflake Gradient
Questions players ask
+How much does fabric cost?
Prices vary by fabric and are shown per metre in the shop. We do not publish a price table because it was not verified across fabrics; type the price you see into the calculator.
+Why did my fabric disappear?
It probably did not. The sewing-room list shows only the first 10 m of each bolt.
+Does the Flowers tag come from accessories?
No. Flowers is a fabric tag; floral accessories do not raise it.
+Are transparent fabrics coming?
Transparent fabrics are on the developers' post-launch roadmap, with no date yet.
+Do leftover scraps carry over?
Uncut fabric stays in your inventory for later dresses.