Material measurements

by Gail
(England)

How do I work out how much material I require to make curtains.

Window width: 4.10m
Length: 2.10m

I have worked out as below

Length : 210cm
Top Hem: 20 cms
Pattern Repeat: 51 cms
Bottom Hem: 15 cms

= 286 cms deep

410 x 2.5 (pinch pleat)= 10.25 divided by 140 (material width) = 7.321

= 7 drops x 286 = 20.02

Do I need to buy 20 metres of material - is this correct?


Hi Gail

You are on the right track and won't go far wrong with the calculations you have made. The only thing you will have is a little bit too much fabric.

You hem allowance can come out of the fabric repeat. So you have a drop of 210cm plus a pattern repeat of 51cm. Giving you a total of 261cm.

You are right about needing 7 widths so at 261cm long it would come to = 18.27 Metres of fabric required. In reality I would buy 19 metres of Fabric to give a margin for error.

So you would only have had around a metre surplus on your calculations. Not a problem if the fabric is a few pounds a metre.


Best regards

Lee

P.S. If you are interested in looking at fabrics for this project then take a look at these. U.K. Fabrics and for U.S. Fabrics The range is huge and the prices are the best you will get anywhere.