Updated at: 16-08-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

You don’t want to risk spoiling your new curtains by cutting holes for your grommets that are spaced wrong after you’ve sewed them. You must be satisfied with how your curtains look and drape when they are hung from the grommets, regardless of how many grommets they have.

Inches Apart

Up to 2 inch diameter grommets should be spaced 4.5 to 4.75 inches apart, measured from one grommet to another. If your curtains are wider or you have particular preferences, the exact amount of space required between grommets of any size may differ. You ensure that your curtains hang straight, make sure to use an even amount of grommets.

How To Make Eyelet Curtains • Craving Some Creativity

Spacing Formula and Layout

Divide the width of the curtain panel by the distance between the panels. Find the number of grommets needed by rounding to the next even number. In order to ensure that you like the spacing of your grommets and that there is enough leeway, at least two inches, from the edge of your curtain to the center of the next grommet before you begin cutting fabric, measure and mark the center of your curtain panel. Adjust to your liking or necessity.

How to Space Grommets on Curtains

It’s possible to make a room’s focal point the drapes. Curtains with grommets are a terrific way to give a room a more refined look and add a modern flair. It is possible to buy a grommet kit in a variety of sizes and finishes, including antique brass and brushed nickel. Grommet curtains are known for their attention to detail, and ensuring that the grommets are precisely spaced is a vital aspect of creating curtains that exude professionalism.

Step 1

Clean panel curtains are the first step.

Step 2

Lay the drapes out on a level, stable surface .’s

Step 3

Use a fabric pen to mark the grommet locations on the curtain. The first grommet should be 1 inch away from the curtain seam’s edge. Make sure the grommet is not too close to the top of the curtain by ensuring that it is centered horizontally. Grommets should be spaced 1 and 14 inches apart from the top of the curtain. Larger grommets should be spaced 6 inches apart, while smaller grommets should be spaced 8 inches apart.

Step 4

Putting in the grommets is easy with the grommet kit.

Step 5

A 1 and 3/8-inch pole is recommended for the curtain rod. Then all you have to do is open the drapes and relax.

30-Minutes with Workroom Tech: Episode Two / Grommets

Educator Susan Woodcock and host Ceil Diguglielmo explore grommets in the second episode of The Sew Much More Podcast: 30-Minutes with Workroom Tech. Libsyn is here, as is iTunes: click here.

Make Your Own Grommet Curtains In An Afternoon

Metal grommets, such as those constructed of brass or aluminum, and plastic grommets are the two main varieties. Rowley Company sells the grommets pictured below.

Brass grommets with a nickel finish are used in this drapery. With this, you can make drapes with grommets that can be operated. To set the grommets, you will need a grommet press with cutting and setting dies.

Aluminum EZ-Set grommets can be used for a beautiful, stationary curtain that will not be pushed open and closed. Easy-Set Grommets are lightweight and set using a hammer and a cheap die set. There is less metal to crimp with the scalloped neck of the EZ-Set grommets, making them easier to set.

Plastic, snap-together grommets offer a third alternative, as well. Grommets supplied in retail stores for craft projects are not suitable for holding the upper layers of fabric in a curtain, so avoid buying them. Rowley Company’s window treatment-specific plastic snap-together grommets have a longer, grooved neck and teeth designed to keep buckram and drapery fabric thickness together. For a long-lasting connection, glue can be used.

The Rowley Company’s plastic snap-together grommets are demonstrated in this video.

From little eyelets for banners or shower curtains to big grommets to accommodate hefty drapery pole rods, grommets are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from #00 to #20 in number. The grommet gets bigger as the number goes up. For information on inside and outer diameters, consult the product catalog provided by the supplier. With a 2′′ ID, #15 is a frequent size in the curtain workroom (inside diameter). In order to allow the grommets to move freely, you’ll need an ID that’s 40 percent larger than the diameter of the pole. Poles aren’t required for grommet panels that are held in place by grommets.

Grommet drapery with operable grommets can be made consistent in spacing by fastening on twill tape, braided twigs or grosgrain ribbon to the rear of the drapery. When the grommets are opened and closed, this is a simple method that will keep them equally spaced. Check out the video below to see how it works!

If you want to add a baton, you may either sew an eyelet on the back of the curtain or add a ring to the pole between the first and second grommets and clip a baton to that. As a result, Rowley Company has developed a customized grommet washer for this use.

One of the few consistent principles in drapery creation is that you must always use an even number of grommets. Make a template of the grommet spacing on a piece of buckram before you get started. This can be saved and repurposed for future use. Grommets are typically placed six inches apart on center. The first and last grommets are located at the leading edge of the window, in the area required for the return to the wall. There should be enough space around the rod to allow for the installation of window coverings such as blinds or shades. This is demonstrated in the illustration that follows.

To get an accurate reading, measure how far back the bracket is from the wall. “Return” measurements from the center of each grommet will be taken from this point. To find out how much room you have to work with, take a measurement in the middle. This is the distance from the leading edge to the end grommet.

Measure between and divide by an odd number once you’ve determined the distance between the two outer edge grommets. A typical drapery will have 8 grommets per width, thus dividing by 7 is a decent starting point! ‘

30-Minutes with Workroom Tech: Episode Two / Grommets

Grommet draperies can be made with professional quality if the seams are positioned behind the rod. It won’t be as obvious. The seams can be pre-planned on the pattern template.

My book Singer(R) Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades, and Top Treatments has step-by-step directions for producing grommet curtains, or you may take Susan Woodcock’s Custom Draperies: Level I class at Workroom Tech to get started right away.