How to measure
- 01
Measure the actual working rod or track width; if hardware is not installed, record the window-frame width and your planned side extensions separately.
- 02
Measure the drop from the reference point stated for the selected heading—not from an unrelated edge of the window.
- 03
Check whether a package contains one panel or a pair, then compare total flat fabric width rather than the label width alone.
- 04
Recheck the selected product, tape, hooks, carriers, and fabric before ordering or cutting.
WORKED CALCULATION
Grommet-width example
- Usable pole width
- 72 in (182.9 cm)
- Fullness
- 1.75×
- Panels
- 2
63 in (160.0 cm) flat width per panel
Check the real grommet opening, top take-up, panel tolerance, and package quantity.
Recalculate with your measurementsCalculate total flat width
Multiply usable pole width by the chosen fullness, then divide by panel count. Add both panel labels together when checking a pair.
Measure length from the panel top
Many grommet products list overall fabric length. Because the pole passes below the panel top, the fabric can extend above the pole; use the product diagram rather than measuring from the pole centerline.
Check grommet and pole geometry
The grommet opening must suit the selected pole and any thicker joins. Geometry can affect movement and top take-up, so verify both product specifications.
Expect visible differences
Grommet spacing, seam placement, fabric body, finished tolerance, and washing can change fold depth and lower alignment. The calculation is not a fit guarantee.
AUDITABLE DATA RECORD
Grommet curtains
- Aliases
- eyelet curtains
- Heading
- grommet / eyelet
- Fullness range
- 1.5×–2×
- Commercial examples
- Single ready-made panels commonly sold in 52 in widths in the US
- Regions
- grommet: US; eyelet: UK and international
- Value type
- design recommendation
- Limitations
- Grommet diameter, fabric body, and manufacturer instructions change the usable heading and fold depth.
Before you order or cut
Measure the actual window and selected product. Finished sizes, fullness, header take-up, hardware geometry, and manufacturer tolerances vary. Fabric can shrink, stretch, or behave differently by composition. Measurements do not guarantee fit, privacy, water containment, installation, load capacity, or structural safety. Use the selected product instructions, and have a professional workroom verify expensive custom-fabric orders.
SOURCE NOTES
What this page is based on
Measurements here combine mathematical results with labeled commercial conventions and design recommendations. Disagreements are kept as ranges rather than averaged into a false standard.
- Buying curtainsJohn Lewis & Partners · reviewed 2026-09-11
Retailer/workroom guidance on pole extension, hanging references, sill/floor endpoints, ready-made metric ranges, and double fullness.
- MATILDA curtain product specificationsIKEA · reviewed 2026-09-11
Manufacturer product guidance presents 1.5×, 2×, and 2.5× rod/track-width options for light through extra-full looks.
- SYRLIG curtain ring with clip and hook specificationsIKEA US · reviewed 2026-09-11
Current US specifications list ten rings, clips, and hooks per package, direct shoppers to the curtain package for the needed count, and say the ring diameter must exceed the rod diameter for movement.