Luxury eyelet curtains - can you get away with less 1.5 gather?

[bacon]

Saw some stunning eyelet curtains but only 1 width so it means that they will not be quite 1.5 gather. Will I get away with it or will it look rubbish when shut?

So much of a bargin but only one size avail. my pole is 2.1m long but one curtain is 1.4m wide. Small bedroom stripes horizontal.

I am sickened at the thought of loosing them but not wanting hubby to moan that they look rubbish!

You might get away with it if your curtain pole isn't massive. You'll have 1/3 extra instead of 1/2, so there should still be some gather when they are closed. Unless you have a very fat curtain pole which won't allow the eyelets to swivel slightly.

Disclaimer: I have no eyelet curtains so only have experience of cheating pencilpleat curtains!

Buy two pairs, have a double width?

There are only one pair available.

Yes, I havent got the pole yet so that gives me some leaverage.

I'm still concerned I guess there wont be much loose curtain when shut but will it look silly and flat.

Could you buy them, hang one side up and return them if you don't like how they look? A lot of shops let you return things...

I reckon you can get away with a less full curtain if you havean eyelet top anyway, I'd probably say they would look ok.

(if hubby moans, just tell him that for a high percentage of the time that he is in the room his eyes will be shut anyway )

I think if they're eyelet you need more fabric as you can't pull them as straight as you'd be able to pull regular curtains. I'm not convinced it'll work.

I think with curtains you can skimp on the cost of the fabric ie. you can use cheap fabric- a lot of it and have it interlined and a lot of volume and it will look luxurious but you cannot have less of an expensive fabric as it will just look cheap.If you are planning on just having decorative curtains and not closing they will look nice, and maybe you could have roman blinds for the windows as well.I don't think its necessary to have eyelets matching the curtain rail as it is a bit contrived.I hope this makes sense as i have had two glasses of wine as it has been a difficult week!.

teta - Great words of wisdom - keep drinking! I deff agree with what you say. I love interlined and would like a luxury silky feel in the bedroom and perhaps use a cheap material with expensive edge. They are ex-display from a interior design shop very expensive fabric. Mind you I still may have them for the material and chop them up.

Yes, my feeling is that if you want to close them you need more width than that or they won't look nice.

I have eyelet curtains in my sitting room and adjoining dining room. I practically never close them but I have 2 x width, and they're lined.

One thing to check: Check the distance between the centre of each eyelet, then check the distance from the middle of the pole to the wall. You don't want your pole too close to the wall or you'll be snagging the fold between each eyelet when you draw them if the eyelets are fairly widely spaced.!

Could you have them as 'dress curtains' ie not drawn and have something like wooden blinds etc.

I don't think you have enough width, but I am not an expert on eyelets.

Buy them
Try them
Make cushions if you don't think they look ok when they are up

I'd also buy them and try them out and was also going to suggest using fabric for cushions if they're not right (great minds, Chipping....)

I was going to buy them - if didnt fit then cut up into roman blinds.

They were on e-bay a very expensive fabric by casamance (£40pm) so all that fabric was a bargin.

I bid last minute and some scally bid last second I was so gutted spent all day mopping! Now on the hunt for similar fabric (stripes horizontal).

That'll learn ya to auto bid your highest bid !!

www.curtainfactoryoutlet.co.uk do a really good service whereby they look through all of their stock to see if they have the fabric you want... worth a shot??

I have a pair of pencil pleat curtains 228x228cm 90x90in i want some eyelet curtains but im confused about measurements do i need less or more width i dont need so much length