curtains!

[rivig]

sorry really boring question but have to face the fact that I must/need to buy some heavy/thick curtains which need to fit a large patio door... MN always have the answer soooooo, can anyone out there suggest anywhere where I can get them cheep but good?!!! Sorry to have to ask but as I said MN always have the answers and I don't have much time for hunting with little ones who get fed up very quickly! Thanks in advance.

Have you looked in the local paper/yellow pages? There are quite a few places that sell second-hand curtains now, they are often of very good quality, and can be altered if too long/ too wide.

Paul Simon (I think thats what it is called!), part of most very large MFI stores, Huge ready made selection and made to measure.
You should also try some of the catalogues: look again/Grattans/GUS or even Next etc v. reasonable, not brilliant choice though but they try to be stylish on a low budget. Also can pay in installments.

Thanks Tissy and Melsy. I tried curtain exchange some years ago but it turned out that the one I used sold me curtains that were about the same as buying brand new and when I tried to sell them some they weren't interested. I have been looking for some offers but can't find anyway suppose it's wrong time of year. The catalogues I have don't have any curtains I feel I could live with!

Melsy meant to say will give MFI a try, didn't know they now did curtains too! Thanks.

What about a Rosebys ? They are usually found as part of a Harveys furniture store, but they do have Rosebys shops that aren't. We got our patio curtains from there, a lovely pair of heavy lined Curtina curtains for around £220. Although reading that back it does seem quite expensive.

I've been on the curtain hunt, too, and finally got some in Laura Ashley's sale. But Debenhams would have been my second choice, they had quite a lot of nice patterns.

did you try matalan?()

Try a big fabric warehouse. We moved house a few months ago and have ENORMOUS windows here - (eg, living room - 4m wide by 2.5 high!!). Couldn't get ready made ones to fit and didn't want to spend a fortune. In the end I bought some cheapish (£5/m) thick material and made them, but if I'd been prepared to wait 6 weeks they would have made them for me for only £8 per width of material eg £32 - they cost me £90, so it would have been £120. Well worth it as making big curtains is a real pain, and they'd have done it better too, but I didn't want the wait. The warehouse we use is called Factory Fabrics and is near the Metrocentre in Gateshead, but I think its a chain.

Rivig where do you live? In london there are several branches of The Curtain Exchange which do good quality second hand curtains (and new I think) Good value too.

Many thanks again for your responses mumsnetters, not close enough to London but will hopefully have chance to start hunting this weekend.