Curtain fabric calculator
Work out how many fabric widths to cut for each curtain panel, the cut drop with hem, heading and pattern repeat, and the total fabric and lining to buy.
Track or pole above 0 and up to 50 m, returns up to 5 m, fullness 1 to 4, 1 to 20 panels, fabric and lining widths 10 cm to 5 m, finished drop up to 10 m, each allowance up to 1 m and pattern repeat up to 3 m. Calculated on your device; download a JSON report and CSV files of results and the cutting list. This calculator uses the measurement fields only. Results update as you type. Up to 1,000,000 characters.
Your result
How to use Curtain fabric calculator
- Measure the track or pole width and the finished drop, and choose the unit.
- Enter returns and overlaps, the fullness ratio, the number of panels and the fabric width.
- Add heading, hem and side hem allowances, and the pattern repeat if the fabric has one.
- Enter the lining width, or leave it empty for unlined curtains, then review the totals and download the cutting list.
Useful next steps
Widths per panel
The flat width is the track width plus returns and overlaps, multiplied by the fullness ratio, as in the calculate.co.nz curtain method (checked 16 October 2026). Each panel takes its share plus side hems and is rounded up to whole fabric widths. With the defaults, 200 cm at fullness 2 gives 400 cm, 200 cm per panel and 2 widths of 140 cm fabric per panel.
Cut drop and pattern repeat
Each width is cut to the finished drop plus heading and hem allowances: 220 + 10 + 15 = 245 cm. For patterned fabric the cut drop is rounded up to whole repeats so the pattern matches across widths, as Direct Fabrics explains (checked 16 October 2026); a 254 cm cut with a 64 cm repeat becomes 4 repeats, 256 cm. One extra repeat can be added to place the pattern.
Totals and lining
Fabric to buy is widths times cut drop, plus the placement repeat. The default pair needs 4 widths of 245 cm, 9.8 m or about 10.72 yd. A single 2 m panel at fullness 2 on 1.4 m fabric with a 2.2 m drop and 25 cm of allowances needs 3 widths and 7.35 m, the same as the calculate.co.nz worked example. Lining uses the same widths rule and allowances, without a repeat.
Limits
Tracks up to 50 m, up to 20 panels, fullness 1 to 4, fabric and lining 10 cm to 5 m wide, drops up to 10 m and repeats up to 3 m. Shrinkage, railroaded fabric and half widths are not modelled; fullness and allowances are your choices, not standards.