Measuring curtains help

[ScotsLass86]

I am about to move into a new house and I am needing to buy curtains but as a reasonably sensible person this is defeating me.
I have measured my window and sill however we haven't added a pole yet.
Window width is 92inches
Windowsill is 101inches
It's a 90 drop to just above the floor

I am thinking eyelet curtains are easiest.
What size do I need that will have a nice gather when open and not tight when closed. Surely 90 X 90 isn't big enough as the window itself is 92? Or am I missing something blatantly obvious to everyone else 🙈

(For reference I used an online curtain calculator that said 90x90 but it confused me, not hard it seems)

Thanks in advance

I find curtains confusing too! I recently made my first pair and used this calculator:

www.fabric-calculator.com/window-curtains.aspx

I found it to be the best one because it actually shows you a picture of how to cut the fabric out at the end! I used fullness of 1.5 and it gathers nicely, but mine weren't huge windows.

Maybe the calculator you used meant each curtain panel should be 90 inches?

Aww thanks for replying, I had seen that link before but didn't use it due to not making my own however I've just gave it a go and it's not useful for me unfortunately. Confused me further which appears to be easy to do 🤣🤣

Didn't want to pay someone as will cost a fortune but if I can't figure it out for myself I'll just hang a sheet 😂😅

Curtains usually need to be double your width of window, so 2 curtains of 90 inches would be fine.
And remember to leave one curtain eyelet beyond the wall support on either side so your curtains don’t scoot into the middle of the rail!

@Sgtmajormummy

Curtains usually need to be double your width of window, so 2 curtains of 90 inches would be fine. And remember to leave one curtain eyelet beyond the wall support on either side so your curtains don’t scoot into the middle of the rail!

Yes, exactly this.

Ok, are you buying ready made ? Or are you having them made for you window?
To measure the window size needed in either case meagre the width of the window RECESS. - not the sill. Add about 6 inches to that for your total width - this is the overhang from the curtain rail. Measure the height (drop) from the height above the recess your curtain pole will be at ( minimum 6 inches really) to the level you want the curtain to drop to ( eg below sill or floor etc)
You then buy curtains in pairs- never a single curtain.
For gathered headers most shops will make up to 2-3 or more times the width you need
So if your recess is 1m, they’ll make up curtains to a width of say 2.5m. This is divided between 2 curtains meaning each curtain is 1.25
When I make curtains I shrimp on it and use a 1.75 multiplier rather than 2 plus times. But this needs good lining fabric to ensure he drawn theyre not transparent. They don’t look full, but have some gathering. I have used, in my poor days 1.5 multiplier but that looks fairly flat when drawn, more of a panel but is good on tab tops or eyelets where they aren’t gathered
If you’re having made up I’d “lie” a bit on the measurements to get around them using a 2 + multiplier - if you supply actual measurements they’ll do this and make some money on the excess fabric used to create very full curtains
If your buying ready made, you can choose between sizes based on how gathered you want. Ready made generally are sold to fit total recess/width …they don’t always say how wide each curtain is ,so you’ll have to look at pictures to gauge if you can get away with smaller width based on how gathered /full they look
Hope that helps 🤷🏼‍♀️

Shrimp? Skimp 😳🙄🤣

= 92+6+6 = 104 is your width to buy for and use normal to select your curtains
In practice though you need in terms of actual fabric :
So less full = 156 total width of fabric (78 per curtain)
Or fuller at a x2 multiplier =208 (104 per curtain)

Your drop needs to be height of window recess+ 6 inches for your pole plus what drop below recess- wasn’t clear what your 90 inches measured

But please check these- don’t want blame if they’re wrong 😱😱

Ok, sorry add 6 inches to BOTH sides of recess width..didn’t explain that clearly

Oh crikey 😳😂😅

Thanks so much for all your help, truly is appreciated!

I was hoping to buy ready made? 🤔
The 90" drop was from right above the window frame to the floor so I think by the time I get a pole up the 90 curtains would slightly gather on the floor.

So am I correct in thinking that 90x90 will be fine?

So a key thing you may be missing here is that curtains are generally sold as pairs, but the width given is of each individual curtain.

So your pole should extend siz inches either side of your window.

For eyelet curtains, you want the total width of both the curtains to be between 1.75 and 2 x the width of your pole.

So for a 92 inch window, you need a 104 inch wide pole, and curtains between 182 (104x1.75) and 208 (104 x2) inches wide (total).

BUT when you look at e.g. Dunhelm their curtain widths are for the individual curtain (but sold as a pair), so you would be looking for curtains with a width of between 91 and 104 inches.

Thanks again! It really is such a help and I'm so grateful 🥰

So having a look at Dunelm and they do either 90x90 or 112x90, is the 112 what I should be going for?

Honestly I'm no a dim lassie but certainly feel it! 😅

Wow the answers here seem complicated!
For eyelet you want 1.5x width (pencil pleat would be 2x)
You need to add 6 inches either side of the window too for the pole length.
A pair of 90 width curtains each curtain will be 90inches so 180 total.
Based on a window with of 92in + 12in for each side = 104in. x1.5 = total width of 156in so the 90x90 will be perfect
I knew selling curtains when I was 16 would pay off one day

If I could give you an award I would! Honestly I thought I had it sussed but then that quickly vanished and more confused than ever!

I'll buy 90x90!
Thanks so much, seriously 😍