Widening curtains, or another way to make them fit

[longtompot]

Without getting rid and buying a whole new pair.

I just bought a bargain pair of curtains (£10 Next) for our living room. Measured and thought they're the right size, washed on a cool wash, not shrunk but they aren't wide enough! They are too narrow by about 30cm on each, and they are eyelet curtains so no header tape than can be widened.
I was thinking if I could get some plain fabric, as these are patterned, in the background colour, I could add a panel to each side, but not sure which side to add it to, the middle or the outside edge.
Just wondered if this was a silly idea as I can't see anything online, just lengthening them the same way with a panel across the top or bottom, which I think looks nice.

I have attached a photo so you can see the fabric, so if anyone knows the name of these I would be most grateful!

You’ve have to eyelets in the top as well though?
Do not not meet when they’re closed, or just not as full as you’d like?

Can't you get another pair on the website? It's probably going to cost you more than a tenner buying more fabric and eyelets.

@Tlolljs When I had the outside eyelet where it should be, they didn't meet at all. I've now cable tied it on the inside to the pole fitting and now it just fits, but it's not right (photo below). Excuse the pole, needs to be stripped as covered in paint and scratches (was here when we bought the house)

@SpoonyMcFace no, you can't buy them new anymore. I've found the pattern is cow parsley via Pinterest so I can look out for them on ebay

By the time you buy the fabric, eyelets and fart about doing it all yourself, surely it would cheaper and easier to buy a new cheap pair that actually fit?

What do you want them for? Could make them decorative and add a functional blind as well.

Or if you are a really good sewer you could edge them. Be hard to get it tidy, though. You'd need to divide the total amount it's short by 4, have a panel on each end and one along the bottom.

Bear in mind there won't be eyelets on the extension, so it will effectively flap free.

I'd use them as they are on a temporary basis while you look for something that fits. Then recycle them into cushion covers/tablecloth. Or on a smaller window.

How big is your window?

Yep use them as decorative only and add a blind. It will be much easier

@longtompot could you flog them on EBAY to recoup your losses and buy some bigger ones? As a previous poster has said by the time you’ve faffed around trying to get it to work you could’ve just got new ones….

Have two different patterns?

It's 180cm from inside edge to inside edge. Each panel is 117cm wide so on theory they should fit, but because of the eyelets they take up a surprising amount. If they had header tape then I could make it fit, just have flatter panels when they are closed. They are 229cm long and could be taken up 4cm so they just skim the floor. If I were to take off the eyelets and sew on a header tape, then they might be too short.

We do have wooden horizontal slat blinds but we have the cats food on the window sill (only place we could put it that the dog doesn't try to eat it) so the blind wouldn't go all the way down.

I didn't need to buy them btw, they were on fb market place for £10 and I was a bit bored of our previous sandy coloured plain ones. I'm just trying to make them work. Dh has just come in and he thinks they look nice so I will probably leave them for now (whilst keeping an eye out for a second hand pair to add to them 😉)

Not much use now, but for future reference, one usually needs curtains twice the width of the window to allow them to hang properly when closed, and help prevent these issues. So for a 50 inch window need 100 inch wide.

Good to know, thank you @TeaAndBiscuitsAndWine

@titchy that was sort of the look I was thinking off, but with them attached

You’re welcome ☺️ (I only know thanks to one of my aunties, who makes curtains!)