How to calculate fabric consumption for curtains?

Length calculation

Please note that the calculation of the length is done without taking into account the hemming of the bottom and top of the curtains, this parameter will be added later. To calculate fabric for curtains, measure with a metal tape the distance from the place where the curtain is attached to the eaves to the desired length.

• Length to the sill. In this case, it is recommended to make the curtains slightly higher than the level of the window sill, by about 1 cm. Then they will easily move without touching it.

• Average length. Curtains that descend 10-15 centimeters below the sill line look good. In addition, this option allows you to reduce fabric consumption for curtains.

• Full length. One of the most traditional and favorite window openings is floor-length curtains. In this case, the distance should be measured not to the floor surface, but slightly higher. This will prevent the fabric from fraying, curtains can be washed less often and will last longer. Curtains falling to the floor certainly look impressive, but they quickly deteriorate and interfere with cleaning.

Width calculation

To calculate fabric for curtains, you need to consider how the fabric will be attached to the cornice, and how lush the curtains will be. The last parameter takes into account the density and width of the folds on the curtain in the fully open state.

Advice

Before you start taking measurements, it is worth hanging the cornice - this will be needed to calculate both the length and width of future curtains. Usually, the distance from the upper edge of the window to the eaves is in the range from 7.5 to 12.5 centimeters, beyond the width of the window, it should protrude at a distance of at least 15 cm in order to be able to completely free the window opening from the curtains.

In order to beautifully fold the curtains from the sides when sewing, you need to add 10 centimeters on each side.

How to calculate the fabric for curtains designed, for example, for a standard window opening and standard ceiling heights?

In this case, the length of the cornice can be 2 m, the height of the curtains (to the floor) - 2.6 m. To make them not too lush, we will take the assembly factor equal to 2.

Curtain: tulle

Fabric consumption for curtains tulle is made according to the following formulas:

Height: curtain height + bottom hem allowance + top hem allowance
In our case, we have 2.6 + 0.15 + 0.10 = 2.85 (m)
Width: eaves length x assembly factor, or in our case 2 x 2 = 4 (m).

Curtain: curtain

The consumption of fabric for blackout curtains is done according to the same formula, with the only difference that, unlike tulle, it is made of at least two parts. Therefore, the height will be the same, but the resulting width will have to be divided by two.

Advice

Do not discard the pieces of fabric left over from the curtain cutting. From these leftovers, decorative pillows, curtain tiebacks, and other decorative elements can be sewn.

Attention!

If the pattern on the curtains is repeated in length, then when sewing curtains, you will have to adjust the pattern at their junction. To do this, the fabric must be taken with a margin of the size of the rapport (a repeating pattern on the fabric). If the rapport is 60 cm long, the fabric should be taken 60 cm more than calculated.