Updated at: 11-02-2023 - By: Sienna Lewis

The first thing I need to know when constructing curtains for my home is how much fabric I’ll need. It depends on the sort of curtains I want and the appearance I’m striving for. But how can I get going? Using a curtain fabric calculator, can I figure out how much fabric I need?

Take measurements of the window’s length and width, including an overhang to protect the wall’s edge. The number of panels required is multiplied by this. For seam allowances, hems, headers, and pleats, add a few extra inches. Using a curtain fabric calculator makes figuring out how much fabric you’ll need a breeze.

There are numerous factors to take into account. Is floor-length drapery something I’d like to have? Do I need more or less panels? A curtain fabric calculator can help you answer such questions, as well.

What to Consider Before Choosing Fabric for Curtains

A few considerations must be made when selecting curtains’ fabric. The color palette of your room should be taken into consideration while choosing a cloth. The last thing you want is for your window to be the focus of attention because of the way it’s been framed.

How Many Yards for Curtains? 4 Simple Tips! - Krostrade

Having curtains that match the style of your space can make it more visually appealing. Color alone isn’t enough to make a good fabric choice. When choosing a material, there are many things to keep in mind.

1. What Type of Curtains Do You Need?

Style of curtain you choose will determine the cloth to use in your project. Whether or not the curtains will be functional or only aesthetic is an important consideration. It’s up to you whether they’ll go from floor to ceiling, or just below.

If you decide to use floor-length curtains, keep an eye out for anything on the wall directly beneath the window. You don’t want your radiators or wall heaters to be obscured by the droop of your curtains. In addition to blocking heat from entering your room, this could pose a fire risk. Another item to keep an eye out for are wall sockets.

Curtains that are frequently opened and closed necessitate the use of a durable fabric. It is possible to use a lighter weight cloth to make decorative curtains that stay open to frame a window.

For pleated curtains, you’ll need a fabric that can withstand the stress of folding. Fabrics that are light and fluttery are ideal for sheer, lightweight drapes.

2. What Type of Fabric Are You Using?

The design of curtains you can choose depends on the fabric you choose. If you’re looking for hefty, draft-blocking blackout curtains, polyester isn’t the best option. If you want a sheer window treatment, don’t spend money on an ornate floral upholstery fabric.

The location where the curtains will be used should also be considered. Is it in a busy part of town? It’s important to know whether or not the curtain fabric is stain-resistant, especially if you have dogs or small children. Do the curtains need to be cleaned on a regular basis? It’s important to know if the cloth can be washed frequently without shrinking. When it comes to the demands of family life, lighter-weight fabrics may not be able to keep up.

3. Do You Need a Valance?

To put it another way, it is a little decorative screen that goes across the top of a window. It serves mostly to conceal the curtain rod. With or without curtains or blinds, a valance can enhance or detract from the look of the window treatments with which it is matched.

Valances are optional and a personal preference. Valances can be added as part of your curtain creation, so make sure to include the fabric needed to your total yardage before you begin.

4. Are You Going for a Window Curtain Set?

Curtain panels, valances, and tiebacks make up a window set. With floral materials, the whole set provides a traditional but romantic window decoration alternative.

Each additional panel or tieback requires more fabric. When making tiebacks, you’ll need to make sure the cloth you choose is strong enough. You may have to buy them pre-made if your design is too light.

Tiebacks and valances must match your primary fabric, so don’t forget to budget for them when you buy your curtain fabric.

5. How About a Window Scarf?

A window scarf is a piece of material that covers the top of the window and either side of it. Sheer materials, such as voile, are commonly used to create this delicate, airy garment. Sheer curtains can be utilized with a scarf, or the scarf can be used alone.

For the most part, the primary purpose of a window scarf is to enhance the look of existing curtains by layering them. In a similar vein as window treatments, window scarves are optional.

Using it in the right way may make a window look beautiful and elegant. You don’t want it to look clumsy and cluttered if your main curtains don’t match. Before combining your curtains and scarves on your window, make sure they match each other in color, pattern, and texture.

6. Don’t Forget the Hem, Header, and Seams

When making curtains, make sure to include enough fabric for hems and headers. Each curtain panel’s clean bottom edge is known as the hem. The section of the curtain that attaches to the curtain rod is called a header.

It is possible to alter the length of a garment’s hem. It all depends on how the curtain is draped. The heavier the base of the curtain will be if the hem is larger. Curtain weights are an option as well. All of this aids in the proper placement of the drapes. Make sure your hem is big enough to accommodate the additional weights.

Because of the size of a large window, it may be necessary to combine two different widths of fabric. If you plan to include a seam allowance, make sure to do so.

How Much Fabric Do I Need for Curtains? [Fabric Calculator]

7. How Thick Is the Curtain Pole You’re Using?

The size of your curtain pole will determine how large your header needs to be. The curtain pole should be hidden behind the header if possible. The tabs or channels that hold the curtain to the pole should also be concealed.

To decide the size of your curtain pole, you’ll need a large enough header. For best results, the curtain pole should be hidden behind the header. The tabs or channels that hold the curtain to the pole should also be hidden.

8. How Many Curtain Panels Do You Need?

You can use a curtain panel alone or in a pair. Four panels or more can be utilized to span the breadth of a window if it is very large. With bay windows in particular. With the additional panels, the curtains can bend to follow the window’s curvature as they follow a curved curtain track.

A single curtain panel can be used for smaller windows. A single panel should be large enough to cover the entire window if hung on one side only.

Two panels are hung, one on each side of the window, to form a set of curtains. This creates a border around the view out the window, making it more appealing.

9. Do You Need a Curtain Liner?

You can improve privacy and light control by lining your curtains, especially if they are made of a lightweight fabric. One might choose to line or not line their bag.

It is possible to utilize linings to keep a space both chilly and warm, especially if they are made of a thermal fabric. Where seasonal temperature changes are large, this could be advantageous.

Curtain Fabric Calculator

Calculating how much fabric is needed for curtains is straightforward using a curtain fabric calculator. Watch how the calculator does all the hard work for you by entering your window measurements into the fields below! The curtain fabric calculator does all the work for you, so all you have to do is determine how you want your curtains to look.

How to Measure Fabric for Curtains

For curtains, there are a few things to consider before you can figure out the amount of cloth you’ll need. The first consideration is the design of your curtains. Are they supposed to be floor-length? Do you like one or two panels?

The dimensions of your window will alter as a result of each design feature. Make sure you know how you want your curtains to look, from the inclusion of a broad header to the amount of cloth for pleats. Preferably, prior to making any fabric purchases.

For Curtains Fitting Outside the Window Frame

The first step is to begin.

Measure the distance between the outside edges of your window. The curtain pole should be measured next. Your curtains should be as long as the pole they are attached to. An additional 6 inches in width should be added to a window if the pole sticks out 3 inches on either side of the frame.

Curtains that are at least double the width of your window should be used for fullness. In order to compensate for volume and mistakes, aim 2.5 times larger than your real window. For two panels, divide the entire length in half.

This is the next step:

Measure the length of your curtains from the curtain pole to the windowsill or the floor, depending on your preference. The final length will be determined by the desired length of the drapes. With the pole in place, this phase is a lot simpler. If the pole hasn’t been installed yet, start from the desired location of the pole.

Determine the size of the header. If you choose for a 3-inch header, you’ll need to increase the length of your curtain by 6 inches. For curtain tabs or rings, this will provide a robust band of cloth on the other side.

The third and last step

For seams and hems, use more cloth. Bottom hemlines should be at least 6 inches long in order to be considered appropriate attire. Adding this amount to the total length of your curtains is the best option.

For Curtains Fitting Inside the Window Frame

The first step is to begin.

From one side to the other, measure the width of the window within the frame. Depending on how much fullness you desire, multiply this number by 1.5 to 2.5.

This is the next step:

In order to get an accurate reading, measure from top of casement to sill. Make sure you have enough room for the hem and the header. If you want a 3 inch header, you’ll need to add an additional 6 inches to the length. A 4-inch allowance is required for a 1-inch hem, too.

How To Calculate How Much Fabric I Need for Curtains?

To figure out how much fabric you’ll need for your curtains, you’ll first need to establish the width and height of your openings. You must also take into account the width of your desired fabric. It may be necessary to combine more than one width of fabric to match the window.

In this case, you have a 120-inch wide window, which includes the fullness of the frame. You wish to cover the window with two panels. Two 60-inch wide panels are created by dividing 120 by two. Only 35 inches wide is the fabric you’ve picked out for your project.

Each panel will require two fabric widths. The cloth will have a total width of 140 inches. Even though this gives an additional 20 inches, some of this will be used to connect the pieces together and to hem the side seams. Overall, the curtains will appear better with the rest of the trimmings included.

Example 1

A window with a drop of four feet and a width of four feet is an appropriate example for this discussion. We’ll convert feet to inches in order to make things easier. There are 48 panes of glass in our window.

To begin, add 2.5 inches to the width to account for pleating and fullness. New dimensions of 120 inches are created. Then, add a few more inches to the drop for a hem and a headband.. Both will get an extra 6 inches. Our new egress is 60 inches.

This project requires a 60-inch wide piece of fabric. Because the pattern is one-of-a-kind, no additional fabric is required for matching. Purchasing two different thicknesses of cloth and sewing them together will be required to cover a 120-inch window.

Simply multiply 60 (drop) by 2 to get the cloth weight for this particular design. 10 feet or 3.33 yards is the equivalent to 120 inches in length (or 10 feet). To be on the safe side, it’s always a good idea to round up. In other words, these curtains require 4 yards of fabric.

Example 2

Patio doors are the next example we’ll take a look at. 32 inches in breadth and an 88.5-inch drop. There is a pattern repetition of 6 inches on the fabric, which is 60 inches wide.

The first step is to divide the breadth in half. A total of 80 inches is produced. To completely cover the window, you’ll need to purchase two 60-inch widths of fabric. Add a header, hem and pattern repeat allowance to the length of your garment next. It took us six additional inches for the pattern and another twelve for the header and hem to bring our drop to 96″ from our original starting point of 78%.

For this example, multiply 96 (drop) by 2 to get the fabric yardage. There are 192 inches in the end result. As a result, 5.33 yards are required for this example. This implies we’ll need six yards of fabric for the curtains.

How Many Yards of Fabric for 84-Inch Curtains?

84-Inch Width

Assume that we already know that our window will require drapes that are 84 inches wide to cover it completely. The length of the curtains, also known as the drop, is the next item to determine.

Distance from curtain pole to floor: 78 inches. ” Our new finished length is 90 inches, including the header and hem allowances of 12 inches each.

Next, we need to determine the fabric’s breadth. Decide on a width of 60 inches. Two widths of fabric are required to cover an 84-inch window.

When we multiply 90 inches by 2, we end up with 180 inches. Approximately 15 feet, or 5 yards, in length. For a window that is 84 inches wide, we’ll need 5 yards of cloth to make some curtains.

84-Inch Length

The amount of yardage required for the curtains changes if the drop is increased from 72 to 84 inches. We can get 96 inches of fabric by adding 12 inches for hems and a header.

There are two thicknesses of fabric needed to cover the window, which is 84 inches wide. Our revised estimate is 192 inches, or 16 feet, based on multiplying 96 by 2.

It is 5.33 yards in length. To make these curtains, you’d need 6 yards of cloth, rounded up to the nearest whole yard.

How Much Fabric Do I Need for 96-Inch Curtains?

96-Inch Width

The window in this example is 96 inches wide by 54 inches high. This time, we haven’t added anything more to make it seem like it’s more complete. The first step is to multiply the width of 96 by 2.5 to get a total of 256. For curtains, a minimum of double the window’s width is required. Errors can be tolerated better if the project is 2.5 times larger. Curtains must be 240 inches wide to accommodate fullness.

Extra fabric is needed for hems and a header when calculating curtain drop. After subtracting 54 inches, we get the new length of 66 inches if we add a 6-inch hem and 6-inch header.

We’ll need more than one breadth of cloth to cover the window if we use a fabric that is 60 inches wide. Curtain fabric is 240 inches wide, according to our calculations. 4 is the answer when we divide 60 by 60. The fabric is required in four different widths.

The drop of 66 inches multiplied by four widths of fabric yields 264 inches. This is 22 feet in length when converted to feet. This equates to 7.33 yards. It’s typically better to round up to the next full yard, therefore 8 yards of cloth is needed for these curtains.

96-Inch Length

Let’s take a look at 96-inch-long curtains now. The revised drop is 108 inches, with an additional 12 inches for the header and hems. Let’s say that the window is 120 inches wide, including the fullness of the fabric.

To cover the entire window, we’ll need more than one width of fabric. The answer is 2 if we divide 120 by 60. 216 inches is the result of multiplying the drop of 108 by two. There are 6 yards in this calculation. Six yards of cloth are required to make these curtains.

How Many Yards of Fabric for 108-Inch Curtains?

108-Inch Width

With the fullness included in, this window is 108 inches wide. To account for hems and a header, an additional 12 inches must be added to the drop measurement. Now we’re looking at a new height difference of 66 inches.

Because the fabric is 108 inches wide, only one width of the cloth is needed. We get 66 inches when we multiply the 66-inch drop by the number of fabric widths. This is equivalent to 1.83 meters, or 5.5 feet. In order to make these curtains, you will need 2 yards of cloth.

How Much Fabric Do I Need for Curtains? [Fabric Calculator]

108-Inch Length

To get a new curtain length of 120 inches, we’ll need to add a header and hem allowances totaling 12 inches. Assume the window is 108 inches wide before fullness is taken into account. For this example, we’ll use a 60-inch wide fabric.

270 inches is the result of multiplying the window’s width by 2.5. More than one width of a 60-inch wide fabric is required to cover such a large window. 4.5 is the answer when 270 is divided by 60. Because we’ll need 5 widths of fabric, we’ll need to round up to that number.

600 inches is the result of multiplying 120 inches of fabric by five widths. 50 feet, or 16.66 meters, is the equivalent measurement. If you can, always round up to the nearest full yard. 17 yards of cloth are required for these drapes.

Conclusion

Curtain fabric measurement necessitates a significant number of calculations. You need to know how much additional fabric you’ll need for fullness, headers, hems, and seams.

Many things to remember. To make your life easier, we’ve provided a curtain fabric calculator at the end of the post. Getting the correct number of materials for your project is essential.

Let me know what you think in the comments section below. The curtain fabric calculator would be a good place to start. Is making your own curtains on your to-do list after reading this?