How To Measure For Curtains – The Basics

Okay, so you don’t want to go through two posts to get all the information you need on measuring to make your own basic curtains or draperies?

Just the facts, ma’am!

1. Your first step: measure the height and width of the window (outside of the window trim).  Get a friend to help if the window is too large for you to measure comfortably.  Measure how long you want the curtain to hang below and the window and how far above the top of the window you’re going to mount it.
2. Measure the pattern repeat on the fabric (most drapery fabrics have a pattern repeat of 12″ to 24″).
3. Figure out how long one panel of fabric is.  Add the height of the window, one pattern repeat of the fabric, how high the curtain will be mounted above the window, how long the curtain will fall below the window and add 12″ for hems and headers.
4. Figure out how how many panels of fabric you need.  Double the width of the window to figure out how much fullness you need (triple it for sheers).  Measure the width of the fabric you’re using, and subtract 6″ for hems.  A panel of fabric 54″ wide will give you a finished width of 48″, which will cover 24″ of window.
5. Multiply the length of one panel by the number of panels you need and there’s your amount of fabric to buy.
6. Need an example?  My window is 60 inches wide and 40 inches high.  I want to hang my curtains 4″ above the top of the window and have the curtains hang 12″ below the bottom of the window.  My fabric is 54″ wide and has a pattern repeat of 16″.  One panel is going to be 84 inches long.  I need three panels of fabric (which gives me a little extra fullness), which means I need to buy 7 yards of fabric.

image: Stock.xchg