HOW TO CALCULATE WINDOW PANELS

Although most designers will hire a professional to come in to get the proper measurements for you window panels, we think knowing how to measure them yourself is a great tool to have. There is a great and resourceful article on ehow.com that provides the most simple instructions on how to measure your curtain panels. *Remember: these instructions are based on a solid/no pattern repeat fabric.

1. Measure from the top of your curtain rod to where you want your drapes to fall. Some people prefer drapes that end below the window, while others prefer floor-length window treatments. (see picture below for floor-length options) Write this length measurement onto your paper.

2. Measure from one end of your curtain rod to the other to determine the width of your window. This is more accurate than measuring the window itself because your rod likely extends a bit to the left and right of the actual window frame. Write the width measurement down.

3. Add 4 inches to the length measurement to account for seams and material used for sewing a rod pocket. For instance, if you need 90-inch drapes, your material will need to be 94 inches long.

4. Multiply the width measurement by 2.5 to account for the fullness needed in proper window treatments. Add 2 inches to this number to account for seams. For instance, if your width measurement is 80 inches, your lengths of material will need to add up to 202 inches wide.

5. Divide your final length measurement by 36 to determine the necessary yardage. There are 36 inches in a yard. If you need 94 inches of length, that is the same as 2.6 yards of fabric.

6. Divide your final width measurement by the width of the fabric you are purchasing. Since most upholstery material is 54 inches in width, you can estimate that you would need about four 2.6-yard lengths of it, or a total of 10.4 yards of material. Most fabric stores will simply round that up to 10 1/2 yards of material.