Curtain fabric is usually not hard to stitch — the difficulty is the size of the pieces and the fact that the finished thing hangs.
Match the pattern repeat across widths. Note the repeat before buying and add one repeat per drop. Join widths with the pattern matched, and put half-widths at the outer edges rather than the centre.
Cut square. A curtain hangs from a straight line and any error in squaring the cut shows as a sloping hem. Pull a thread across the width, or fold and align the selvedges and check with a large set square.
Clip the selvedges every 10 cm or so, or trim them off entirely. Selvedges are woven more tightly than the body and they pull the curtain in along the sides.
Use a universal 90/14 and polyester thread, with a stitch length around 3 mm.
Hang the made-up length before hemming. Leave it for several days. Fabric drops under its own weight, especially on long drops, and a hem levelled before hanging will not be level afterwards.
Weight the hem. A deep double hem, often 10 to 15 cm, plus chain weight or corner weights, is what makes a curtain hang straight rather than fluting.
Support the weight while sewing. A long curtain dragging off the table pulls the seam out of line. Set a chair or a table at machine height to the left.
Questions people actually ask
How much fullness do I need?
It depends on the heading, and the tape or track supplier states the ratio. Fullness is the single biggest factor in how a curtain looks.
Do I need to line curtains?
Lining improves the hang, the light exclusion and the life of the fabric. Unlined curtains fade faster and hang flatter.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11