Updated at: 24-11-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

The amount of material needed to complete a job is often included in the question “how much.” When you know exactly how much material you’ll need, the process goes more quickly.

How much fabric do I need for curtains? Depending on the type and size of curtains you plan to make, you’ll need to figure out how much fabric you’ll need. To cover any pleats, lining, or hems, you’ll need to purchase additional fabric.

To learn how to calculate the amount of fabric you need for your curtains project, just continue to read our article. The amount of fabric needed for various styles and sizes varies, and understanding how to calculate this will save you both time and money.

How do I Calculate How Much Fabric I Need for Curtains?

To figure out how much fabric you need for your new curtains, there are numerous processes. To begin, measure the precise length of the curtains, starting at the top of the rod and working downwards.

The next step is to decide whether or not the curtains will extend all the way to the floor. Take a measurement up until there. Once you’ve measured the length of your rod, move on to measuring the width of your curtains.

If your window is 36 inches wide, you’ll need two panels that measure 72 inches broad. Add 1 inch to account for seams and 6 inches to account for length. An 84-inch curtain requires two 37-by-90-inch fabric panels.

If you divide 180 by 36, you’ll get 5 yards of curtain fabric needed to make the curtains, which is what you need.

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

Fabric for Curtains Calculator

This is a no-brainer because there are various free online curtain fabric calculators at your disposal. They make it easy for you to determine how much material you’ll need for your project. In addition, it is simple to adjust the dimensions if you are working with multiple window sizes.

Here you can find the first calculator and here you can find the second, while the third can be found at this link. It doesn’t matter whatever one you choose; just make sure it’s accurate and gives you the right results.

At the press of a button, two of the three can be converted from inches to centimeters.

How to Measure Fabric for Curtains

You must use the rod to begin and end your measurements. Above the window, it usually requires several inches of cloth, and this additional amount of fabric must be considered.

Then, when determining the rod’s breadth, simply repeat the process. Often, the curtains you have are longer than the window’s width, so you have to account for those additional inches.

To your advantage, curtain fabrics are available in a variety of widths. Using this method, you’ll be able to better plan your stitching and reduce your workload. Don’t forget to include the seam or hem allowance when calculating your total.

Depending on the style of your curtains, these margins can range from 1 inch to 8 inches. Once you know your measurements, it’s easy to figure out how much fabric you need.

How Much Fabric for Curtains With Pinch Pleats

Except for a few modifications, measuring for sheer curtains is very similar to measuring for ordinary curtains. You don’t have to worry about the length because it’s standard. You should be cautious about the width.

There is no need to measure the length of finials unless there are return brackets when determining the breadth. To account for the panel overlap in the window’s center, add an additional 12 inches.

Pinch pleat curtains require a certain amount of width, which you may calculate by multiplying your total by 2.25. Once you’ve calculated the total, divide it by the width of the fabric you intend to use. The breadth is 60 inches, thus you would divide the amount by 60 and round it to the nearest full inch if necessary.

The total yardage needed is calculated by multiplying the width by the length of the curtains, and then by dividing the figure by 36.

Extra Fabric for Curtains

If you don’t have enough fabric to make your new curtains, you may need to utilize more fabric. The hems and topping facings are typically where you’ll find these pieces of fabric.

Understitching is an option for hiding them. No difficult mathematics are required; simply measure the area to be covered by the additional cloth and multiply the result by 2. Having a little more is fine; you can easily trim it down later if necessary.

Borders made from additional fabric might extend the project’s breadth or length.

How Much Fabric Eyelet Curtains

Eyelet curtains can be measured along the length of the pole. Make sure to account for any slack in the eyelet’s inner edge, otherwise your curtains may fall short.

Remember to add the same number of inches above the rod as the curtain extends above the eyelets when measuring for length. Calculate how much fabric you’ll need using one of these online calculators.

This is the quickest and most straightforward method of determining the appropriate yardage for eyelet curtains. If you’re going to employ pleats, you’ll need to multiply the equation from before by around two.

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

Fabric for Rod Pocket Curtains

You’ll need to multiply the finished width (in this case, 100 inches) by the fullness (about 2), which is a more complicated equation. As a result, the measurement should be 200 inches. A total of 207 results when you include the return measurements of 3 1/2 inches on each side.

A double fold hem adds 4 inches on each side, so 215 inches is needed. In this example, we’ll divide 215 by the fabric width (36 to 60 inches) in this case 54 inches, which equals 3.98 and round to 4.

Once you’ve got your length measurement, which is 85 inches, add 8 inches for the hems to obtain 93 total inches. For the casing and the header, you’ll need to add 2 1/2 inches to the length.

Add 95 1/2 by 4 to get 382, then divide that number by 36 to get the total yardage needed. Round up to 11.11. Figures vary from person to person.

How Much Fabric for 84-inch Curtains

If that 84-inch value is the breadth or the length, the number of yards will be determined. If you have a 96-inch length, you’ll need 7 yards of cloth for the breadth. That’s if you’re just constructing plain curtains with no pleats in them, however.

In order to complete your project, you will need 6 yards of cloth if the curtains are 40 inches wide and the length is 60 inches. You will need to add additional material for pleats if your dress is longer or wider than the measurements shown here.

The lining measurement is not included in these instances, so keep that in mind. Adding lining will necessitate doubling the amount of fabric needed.

Fabric for 96-inch Curtains

You will need 312 inches of fabric if you choose a 36-inch width and 96-inch length for this example, according to the calculator. Divide by four, and you’ll have 4 yards of fabric in total.

Assuming your windows are 96 inches wide and 60 inches long, you’ll need 204 inches of length in total. If you want to make curtains for your windows, you can use the online fabric yardage calculators that we provided before.

Any extras, such as hems, tiebacks, and so on, should be included. You never know when something will go wrong, so it’s a good idea to add 10% to your total just in case.

Fabric for 108-inch Curtains

You may get a sense of how good these fabric calculators are by following the same steps as in the previous instances. 6 yards of space is what you’re looking at with a 108-inch width and 60-inch length.

When the measurements are adjusted to 108 inches in length and 48 inches in breadth, the final result is 348 inches and 10 yards of fabric. A pocket rod, eyelet style, and so on should all be factored in as well.

The conventional multipliers for customizing the style of your drapes are usually 2 or 2 1/4. These calculators save a lot of time when it comes to calculating the totals, as you can see. Just enter your data and let the software do the rest.

How Much Fabric for Single Pleat Curtains

When it comes to curtain fabric, there is one thing to keep in mind. 36 inches; 42 to 45 inches; 54, 58, and 60 inches; 75, 90, and in rare circumstances, 105 to 110 inches are the most common sizes. There is no need to do a lot of math to achieve the width you want.

Next, you’ll need to figure out how many pleats you want in your curtains and multiply that number by the width of fabric you’ve selected to use. Then, subtract the hems and rod spacing from your total length.

In order to get your complete fabric measurement, utilize the fabric calculators listed above. For some people, manually calculating the overall yardage can prove to be a tedious task. Math isn’t for everyone.

Double Pleat Curtains

The most important aspect of these measures is determining the exact width. There is absolutely no room for error when it comes to the finished curtain width measurement. The length will be taken care of, and you only need to add any additional inches needed for hems, seams, and rod specifications.

To make a pinch pleat or a double pleat, you’ll need to know the finished width of your fabric. In order to acquire 100 inches, multiply 40 by 2.25, if your window or rod width is 40 inches wide. Add another 6 inches for seams and other considerations.

As an example, multiply the length by 106, and then divide the result by 36, or the breadth of your fabric, to arrive at the final measurement. To complete this curtain project, you’ll need the following amount of fabric. If you’re unsure about how to make a pinch pleat, check out the part above.

Triple Pleat Curtains

Fortunately, a triple pleated curtain does not require more fabric than a double pleated curtain. There is a slight difference in the fullness ration, so instead of multiplying by 2.25, you multiply by 2.50.

If everything else is done correctly, you should have the whole amount of cloth in no time at all. For example, if you take an inch and multiply 40 times 2.5, the result is still 100 inches. In this case, you don’t need to round up as in the previous example.

Then, following the pinch pleat example above, complete the rest of the equation. Because pinch pleats and double pleats are interchangeable, you can apply that formula.

Fabric for 90 x 90 Curtains

The calculation is going to be a breeze if these curtains don’t have pleats. I recommend using 196 inches of cloth or around six yards, according to the fabric calculator mentioned to above. This does not include any extras like hems or other embellishments.

Due to the fact that the number is larger than 6, but less than 7, you should round it up to 7 yards. You must round up because fabric stores do not offer fabric by the 1/8 of a yard, etc.

In order to make your curtains appear their best, you can use extra fabric to make tie-downs and other small decorations.

Fabric to Puddle Curtains

To give them their name, puddle curtains have a puddle of fabric in the middle of them. You don’t have to worry as much about the breadth of the cloth as you do the length to get the amount of fabric needed for this form of curtain.

You can add up to 18 inches to the length of your curtains in order to get the estimate correct. It’s up to you and your home decor to decide how much to add. You’ll need about 262 inches of cloth if you increase your length by about 18 inches and chose a 90-inch width and 123-inch length.

About 8 yards of material are needed. You’ll have plenty of room for a puddle on the floor with that much more length. It’s possible that 18 inches is too long for your space. If this occurs, simply trim your fabric to the proper length.

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

How to Cut Fabric for Curtains

Prior to cutting, it is necessary to wash your fabric. This reduces the volume of the information while maintaining the accuracy of your computations. After washing, tug the corners of the fabric to assist straighten the warp and weft threads.

Afterwards, use an iron to keep the fabric looking lovely and sleek. Take your measurements after squaring the fabric by aligning its selvage edges. Using a carpenter’s square can ensure that your lines are straight and square.

The best way to cut is using a rotary cutter, and then you’re done.

Some Final Words

The best way to figure out how many yards of fabric you need is to utilize a fabric calculator. Using these calculators will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

Depending on the size of your windows, you’ll need to know how much cloth to buy at any particular moment.