How to Measure Material for Curtains

Measure the material accurately to make curtains to fit any window.

Accurately measure the amount of material needed for curtains with a metal tape measure. Mount the curtain rod prior to measuring, if necessary, and write down all measurements as you take them. Measure each window, even those that appear to be the same size. Make curtains with the width of the material placed horizontally across the width of the window. Avoid fabric that has a directional print across the width and choose material with no pattern repeat that requires matching, if possible.

Things You'll Need

• Metal tape measure
• Paper
• Pencil
• Calculator (optional)

Instructions

1. Measure the length of area to be covered from where the top of the curtain will be to the finished curtain length. For instance, measure from the clip for curtains suspended from a decorative rod with curtain clips; and from the top of the rod for curtains with a casing through which the rod is inserted.

2. Measure the width of the rod. Include the bends at both ends where the rod attaches to the wall brackets, if any.

3. Measure the width of the curtain fabric.

4. Measure the pattern repeat, if any. Place a pin where the design begins and another pin where the design begins again. Measure the space between the pins to determine the length of the pattern repeat.

5. Add a sufficient amount to the finished curtain length measurement to accommodate the heading, casing, hem and pattern repeat. For instance, a 1½-inch heading with a 1½-inch casing requires an additional 5 inches of fabric and a 3-inch hem requires 3½ inches of fabric for a single hem or 6 inches for a double hem. Also add the amount of fabric required for the pattern repeat, if any.

6. Calculate the number of lengths required to make each curtain panel based on the width of the chosen material. Lightweight or sheer curtains should be 2½ to 3 times the width of the rod, while heavier curtains should be 2 to 2½ times the width of the rod. For instance, a sheer curtain panel to cover a 32-inch width requires at least an 80-inch width of fabric, which requires two lengths of 40-inch wide material for each panel.

7. Calculate the total number of curtain panels needed to cover the window. Multiply this number by the length in inches of material needed to create each panel. Divide the total by 36 to calculate the number of yards of material required for the curtains.

Tips & Warnings

• Pre-wash material prior to cutting to avoid shrinkage of the finished curtains later.

References

• Denver Fabrics: Calculating Curtain Panel Yardage

Resources

• Curtain Fabrics Online: Curtain Making Guide