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Question about pattern repeat in fabric for a blind

13 replies

TattiePants · 26/09/2022 21:17

I'm hoping someone used to making blinds / curtains can help me understand how much fabric I need for a roman blind. Window is approximately 1.8m high by 2.4m wide. The fabric is 137cm wide so I'll need two lengths to get the width but how much do I need to allow for the pattern repeat and top / bottom hems?
www.bluebellgray.com/palette-fabric/

OP posts:
AndSoFinally · 26/09/2022 21:34

The pattern repeat in that looks huge looking at the pictures of the curtains. I'd say it's at least a metre so you're looking at probably a metre and a half more than whatever the double drop would be, plus all the folding for the Roman blinds design.

TattiePants · 26/09/2022 21:45

AndSoFinally · 26/09/2022 21:34

The pattern repeat in that looks huge looking at the pictures of the curtains. I'd say it's at least a metre so you're looking at probably a metre and a half more than whatever the double drop would be, plus all the folding for the Roman blinds design.

I was wondering if I was reading it wrong as the pattern repeat is huge. I do have a small window in the porch off the kitchen so I guess I could make use of the spare metre of fabric.

OP posts:
NoIdeasForWittyNickname · 27/09/2022 01:59

I've recently made two wide-ish Roman blinds using an online tutorial.

The heading (top) allowance will depend on the size of the headrail used, mine was 7cm; the hem (bottom) allowance was recommended at 9cm. Add this to your desired finished blind length and you will get the 'cut fabric drop'. For exampe, if the finished blind length is 180cm, cut fabric drop = 180cm + 7cm (headrail allowance) + 9cm (hem allowance) = 196cm.

As your window is wider than the fabric, you're correct thinking that you would need about 2 lengths, but the actual calculation needs to be adjusted to include a whole number of pattern repearts to allow for a nice alignment of fabric panels. Using the above example for the cut fabric drop calculation and the pattern repeat of 109.09cm from you link: 196 / 109.09 = 1.8 repeats, rounded up to the whole number = 2 pattern repeats; adjusted cut drop = 109.09cm 2 repeats = 218.18cm*.

Finally, to estimate the actual amount of fabric you need to buy, add another pattern repeat to accomodate a nice placement of the pattern on the blind, so for this exmaple, 218.18cm + 109.09cm = 327.27cm.

However, most online shops will only sell fabric by a whole metre, so you will have to buy 4 metres.

On top of that, you will need lining fabric (plain, blackout, or thermal), headrail (all-in-one cassete systems are much easier to use than old school wooden battens and cords, but more expensive; and I'd recommend a geared chain mechanism as the blind of that size would be quite heavy), rods, bottom rail bar, little rings and/or breakouts, some buckram and velcro tape.

Please also bear in mind that at 240cm it will be a very wide blind. If you're planning to make it yourself, it would be quite a feat. Mine were just under 155cm wide and I struggled, as I didn't have a table/surface large enought to keep the whole project flat, which is important to make sure the final product looks neat.

TattiePants · 27/09/2022 14:28

Thanks for that really detailed and helpful post @NoIdeasForWittyNickname. I'd love to learn how to make blinds but I think this one will be too big / fabric too expensive to start with. Fortunately there's a lovely lady near by who has made blinds for me on the past.

OP posts:
NoIdeasForWittyNickname · 27/09/2022 15:07

You're welcome, @TattiePants.
Ah, getting someone else to make it would be very sensible.
I've been thinking - with the 'chaotic' fabric pattern like yours, without a strong identifiable motif, you might be able to get away with less than 1 full extra repeat for the nice blind placement. But it would be better to discuss with you blind maker 😊

17to35 · 27/09/2022 16:41

4.4m

NoIdeasForWittyNickname · 27/09/2022 18:23

@17to35 , out of curiosity, why 4.4m? I'm just a novice in blind making, so wondering where my calculations gone wrong 🙁

17to35 · 27/09/2022 18:44

1.09m =1.1m per pattern repeat
So one blind drop =2.2m
You will need two because of the width so you have 4.4
This gives you a blind drop of 2.2m. The positioning is 0.5+1+0.5
The extra fabric gives you a bit of room for hemsx2 pattern placement and ease of use.
That's how I would do it

TattiePants · 27/09/2022 19:13

I've measured the drop properly now and it's only 160cm, rounded up to 175 for top/bottom hem. It's just shy of 4m (109 x 3 + 66) so it's a bit cheaper than the 5m I was expecting. @NoIdeasForWittyNickname your workings were correct but for the second drop you'd only allowed one pattern repeat of 109cm and missed off the additional 71cm to get it to a full drop of 180cm (using my earlier measurements).

OP posts:
Iheartgeraniums · 27/09/2022 19:17

Can I ask what tutorial a pp used?

NoIdeasForWittyNickname · 27/09/2022 23:48

@17to35 and @TattiePants , thank you! Not sure how I've missed that (maybe it has something to do with trying to do maths at nearly 2am 😂)

@Iheartgeraniums I've used a tutorial from this website. It isn't specifically for a wide roman blind, but it's very thourough:
www.sew-helpful.com/index.php#index-tutorial

I've discovered this lady a few years ago, when I was looking to make my own curtains; back then all info on her website was free. Since then, they've commercialised the tutorials, so you have to pay a fee to access videos detailing some of the processes. But I still thoroughly recommend her tutorials - there are still heaps of free information about each step plus tips in the Q&A sections.

rosegoldwatcher · 28/09/2022 18:12

Yes - the Sewhelpful tutorials are excellent.

Her (professional) method for making Roman Blinds produces one with no visible rows of stitching on the face fabric.

MikeDrape · 11/10/2022 13:38

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