Bluebellgray - quote for made to measure curtains - practically fainted

[Poochypaws]

Okay so I love Bluebellgray. Have 3 pairs of their curtains already and several cushions. Looking for new bedroom curtains and loved one of their fabrics 'summer'. They seem to be doing less and less ready made curtains which is a shame because although they are not cheap at around £220 for the full length and full width ones (227 x 227cm) they are affordable for alot of people.

So anyway I asked for a quote to get a pair of curtains made in the summer fabric which was actually one of their cheaper fabrics (around £56 per metre compared to some that are £98 were metre). I asked for them in their standard size of 227 x 227 with normal linings and normal pencil pleat. So nothing out of the ordinary - just like the ready made ones but in this fabric which they don't have ready made curtains in.

Okay so my AIBU is going to be - AIBU to be shocked at this price?

Before we decide this lets have some guesses as to the quote.

So the curtains I already have which are same size, in equally nice fabric but ready made not made to measure cost me around £220 per pair. JL currently have them in sale for slightly less.

So now that we know the ready made ones are around £220 per pair for the 227x227 size what do we think having the same size of curtains made is another fabric would cost?

Anyone like to guess?

The ready made ones wont be the same quality fabric as the bespoke

You're right. I'm getting over the shock now but still don't know if I can justify such alot of money. Especially since I have the Bluebellgray sweet pea ones in the spare bedroom which now have spots of blood of them (dog got beaten up by cat, ripped ear, ran about house shaking head and blood everywhere).
If he damages the new m2m ones I'd probably have to kill him or at least make him eat dog food for a week lol

Still I do tend to keep the curtains for years and years so it's a long time to look at the ones I love (or not). That's why I was getting them in standard size so I could move house with them and still use them

is that right? I guess that would make it more understandable then....

I would look elsewhere for fabric I really loved, and then get a local person to make them up. I've previously found gorgeous material reduced at curtain fabric store.co.uk and was really happy with the curtains made for me. For the last ones I had nine metres of material that was reduced massively to £9 per metre and I paid under £200 to have them made up, lined and hung .

good idea. I'll maybe try that

Ready made usually use cheaper fabric with a smaller pattern drop repeat, and are never quite as good quality – short thread lengths, thin lining or unlined, no weights in the hem, etc. What you want is eBay! I’ve done all our massive windows in floor-length ebay curtains in fancy fabrics, all lined and either pencil or pinch pleat, 1/10th the price of MTM.

It's premium fabric made in small batches (not sure if batches is the right word) and then the curtains would be handmade in the UK. Not surprised it would cost £££.

I used to live in a flat opposite their shop.

that last bit was irrelevant

There are loads of Bluebellgray curtains on Ebay. If you can't afford the exact ones you initially wanted, there are plenty of options for something similar.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2505460.m570.l1313&_nkw=bluebellgray+curtains&_sacat=0

I was going to suggest sourcing the fabric and getting them made, too.

I found someone who only charged £100 for making up a pair of curtains for me, and she supplied the lining and tapes herself, and made a fabulous job of it.

(In the unlikely event that you're in East Sussex, OP, pm me and I'll give you her number!)

Even using cheap fabric getting bespoke curtains made up is expensive. I bought cheap as chips IKEA fabric to make into curtains. It was for a bay window so big curtains and they have interlining and a pinch pleat top. I was very generous with the fabric and they cost £400 to get made up about 15 years ago. With nice fabric I assume over £1K per pair.

I have ready made palette curtains and they are beautiful if that helps! 🤗

do you mean you've bought fabric off ebay and have them made up or you've bought second hand curtains? I did look on ebay and lots of sellers selling a couple of metres of Bluebellgray fabric here and there but not enough to make curtains - might go back for a second look now I know how much fabric I would need....

irrelevant but interesting all the same! Maybe I should break in one night and steal the fabric I need. Do you own a torch and balaclava......

thanks - I'll take a look.

No, it isn’t right. Just checked out the JL ones and they’re lovely. I’m quite tempted.

actually do you have any photos you could post. Is there yellow in them? I have yellow bedding just now so the curtains need at least some yellow. I'm just not sure I like the abstract pattern but maybe I need a change.

sadly no I'm in scotland. The price to make them wasn't too bad actually -it's the fabric cost that is astronomical.

We live in a Victorian house with big windows so have never been able to buy ready made. I’ve generally made ours with a bit of help from DM. The labour is not the big cost though.

If you find a local curtain maker they should be able to tweak them to reduce the price, for example if you go for double the width instead of triple. These things will mean they can get away with slightly less fabric than what some companies quote for.

Victorian properties are lovely - nice big windows but I can imagine costly to dress. I live in a Redrow new build so wide windows as it's their heritage range of houses but still within standard sizes.

I used to love my Victorian flat in Edinburgh though with it's high ceilings and tall windows.

they do a sample sale every year in Glasgow. My friend loves their stuff so always braves it and comes away with some heavily reduced items. She says it's each woman for herself and you have to be extremely sharp elbowed. Channel your inner fabric loving hoodlum basically.

I'm too much of a wimp for all that pushing and shoving. Even in my younger days I steered away from crowds. Good tip though for anyone braver than me.....

It's the pattern matching that "wastes" fabric - you have widths joined, the pattern needs to match so you slide one bit up or down till it does. You then need to match the second curtain so the pattern reads across both curtains when drawn. Big bold print will mean you could "lose" half a pattern repeat with each cut length. Pattern repeat of 86cm, for example, could lose 2m over 4 or 5 widths. If money is tight, choose a plain or a small, under 20cm, pattern repeat without half drops.

Some yellow, not a lot, lots of a fresh acid green and the deep blue.

Will post another pic if I can make it less mb!