fabric for curtains-any ideas for cutting costs?

[themildmanneredstalker]

i have had a quote today for making either a pair of curtains for my front dooor or a single curtain.
it is out of budget. by quite a bit!
but the fabric is beautiful. really lovely!

i have chosen another fabric and the quote for making up in that is ok-ish.

however i have come home with samples and the original fabric is so much nicer. really lovely.
dh keeps saying the other fabric isn't right but as i said you cut your coat according to your cloth! quite literally in this case!

anyway-this fabric is £15-99 a metre and is quite a heavy one with a leaf pattern embroidered on it.

any ideas? top tips? on how i can get something similar for a reasonable price?

[MutantSpaceGoat]

curtain exchange? remmant shops? make them your self?

[lucysmam]

local market maybe? or have a look for an asian shop nearby? There's one near (ish) to where I am and fabrics in there are quite reasonable really

[themildmanneredstalker]

i wouldn't know where to start and don't have a sewing machine.
don't know anyone really i could impose on to that extent!
dh worked out that the actual cost for the fabric was about 90/100 pound i think but the quote was for nearly 300

[MutantSpaceGoat]

can you borrow a sewing machine? it is really easy unless you are going for an 80's french regency look. failing that is there a 'woman in the village' who does?

[themildmanneredstalker]

i know you say it's easy but if you have never done it before i think it would be hard. i would be terrified of ruining the fabric.

name tapes and buttons is about the extent of my sewing skills.

[mablemurple]

Are you ordering the fabric through your curtain maker? If so, they will be adding their mark-up. Can you buy the fabric yourself and get a quote for make-up only? Alternatively, places like Dunelm Mill have lots of lovely fabrics, and even John Lewis has lots of fabrics at less than £15.99. Another alternative is to choose a plain, but matching fabric for the main body of the curtain, and edge it with your more expensive fabric - you could also have the tie back made in the nicer fabric. Yet another alternative is to have a roman blind made, which would use a lot less fabric, but that depends on whether you want a curtain to cut out draughts or whether it was to cover a window in the door.

[themildmanneredstalker]

ok-it's a 'cut out draughts' curtain.

have just checked john lewis and they have the same fabric for 22 pound a metre!
so looks like i was getting a good deal.
they also want 320 to make the cutain as opposed to 260 in the shop i went to today.

wow. am surprised.

this is the fabric.nice isn't it?

[theowlwhowasafraidofthedark]

you can get some quotes for the fabric from internet suppliers - can be up to 40% cheaper depending on how much fabric you need and the fabric brand. I don't have time to link the sites now, but will be back tomorrow morming (unless my baby decides to arrive overnight...)

[georgimama]

Honestly, making a curtain is simple. You would be best off spending £10 on a book and some lining fabric to have a practice run on - a simple curtain is just a rectangle of fabric, hemmed on all edges with ready made heading tape sewn at the top. All the very finest made to order curtains are hand stitched anyway.

Have a go, I started making curtains for myself when in exactly the same situation you are in now - ludicrous quote for make up.

£260 (or even £320 ) is a ridiculous amount of money for something which, even if you take it very very slowly for fear of cocking up, you could do yourself in a couple of evenings.

[georgimama]

And I like the fabric very much.

[mablemurple]

Ooh yes, that is lovely. If you chose a plain cream fabric to match the background colour and had a 5 - 10cms border on the leading edge you would only need about 2 metres of this fabric, and there would be enough to make the tie backs too.

[georgimama]

That is a good suggestion to cut cost if making up yourself, but to be honest I would expect the shop to charge even more for the make-up if they have to fanny around with a border rather than just hemming a straight run of fabric, wiping out any saving you would make.

Honestly, before ordering the make up, have a go with some lining fabric first, you may surprise yourself.

[themildmanneredstalker]

the drop alone is more than 2 metres. it's a huge door.

i honestly don't think i could make it myself.

now if my bloody mother in law didn't live bloody abroad i'd get her to do it for me!

[themildmanneredstalker]

the 260 included the fabric and lining.

is that still expensive?

[mablemurple]

Georgimama - as there would be no pattern matching to do, the extra cost of adding a border would be minimal, if any at all.
But you are right, it is not difficult to do yourself.

[georgimama]

I'm not being helpful - 2 metres wouldn't phase me but I've done this a few times now with full length curtains.

Where are you? If you lived anywhere near me I'd offer (caveat emptor and all that) - I love sewing.

[themildmanneredstalker]

near manchester

[georgimama]

Oh, I'm near Bristol. A touch difficult then . I'm sure someone on MN could help, or recommend a lovely old lady in a village who "does" to exploit use instead.

[themildmanneredstalker]

lol!!!
i think i am going to put it on the back burner for a bit until things are a bit better financially!

[MutantSpaceGoat]

2m is nothing. make them!

[themildmanneredstalker]

lol!!!

you might as well say 'split that atom yourself-it's no trouble at all!'

[MutantSpaceGoat]

i have some fabulous curtains i got from freecycle. and the curtain exchange is worth a visit if only for the pure excitment!

[MutantSpaceGoat]

and i would split the atom but it would cause no end of trouble so i won't