How To Calculate Your Fabric Amounts For Curtain Making

The design of curtain heading and the hanging method you choose is the key to the amount of fabric you need to buy to make your curtains.

By now you should know the type of curtain heading you want to achieve. And you've installed an appropriate track or pole system over your window. OK, now you're ready to measure up for the fabric quantity you need to purchase.

Measure the width of your curtain pole, track, or wire hanging system. Exclude the width of finials if using a decorative pole. But do include the width of the return brackets on your curtain track or pole if you have them.

Multiply this width by 1.5, 2 or 2.25 depending upon the amount of fullness required for your heading (see below).

Goblet pleat: multiply your width by 2.25
Pierced heading: multiply your width by 1.5
Smocked heading: multiply your width by 2
Pinch (French) pleats: multiply your width by 2.25
Rod pocket(slotted,cased,channelled): multiply your fabric width by 2.5
Pencil pleat: multiply your width by 2.5
Gathered: multiply your width by 2

Divide this number by the width of your chosen fabric. (Standard fabric is normally 137cm (54") wide, but check when you buy). Round up to the nearest whole number. This is the number of widths of fabric required.

Measure the finished length of the curtains you require. If using a decorative pole, start measuring from the base of the ring from which the curtain will hang. If using a track, measure from 1cm above the top edge of the track so your curtain heading hides the track. If using a curtain wire system for pierced headings, measure from where the top of the curtain panels will be, remembering that you will make pierced holes in your fabric about 6cm from the top edge of the fabric.If making a rod pocket heading, measure from the bottom of your pole to the floor, then add 25cm for the stand-up frill and pocket you will create.

Add 10 cm to the top and 10 cm to the bottom of the length for hems in all cases. This gives you your cutting length.

Multiply the number of widths by the cutting length. This is the amount of fabric you need to buy.

If you are buying a fabric with a distinct pattern, you need to pattern match so that when the curtains are drawn together, the pattern matches up exactly on both inside edges where the curtains meet.

To allow enough fabric for pattern matching, add the following calculation:

Take the cutting length you have calculated. Add the length of the pattern repeat (the pattern repeat length should be stated on the label attached to the fabric roll in the shop).

Use this new, final cutting length and multiply by the number of widths. This is the amount of fabric you need to buy for fabric with a pattern repeat.

For a worked example of a calculation, click "Example Calculation".

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