Curtain Panel Size
Per-panel cut width and drop with headings.
Span the curtains must cover.
Usually two, one per half.
2 to 2.5 for pencil gathers.
Heading to hem, hanging length.
11 yd
Fabric for all 2 panels together.
- Cut width per panel
- 96 in
- Cut length per panel
- 99 in
- Bolt widths joined
- 2
Each panel is cut wider than its share of the rod so the fabric can be gathered to the heading, then lengthened by a rod pocket and a double hem. A fullness below two folds flat against the window, while the widths column tells you how many bolt widths to join per panel.
About This Tool
The Curtain Panel Size calculator works out the cut width and cut length for each panel of a made-to-measure curtain, starting from the rod span and the fullness you want, then adding a heading allowance, a rod pocket and a deep double hem before totalling the fabric to buy.
You enter the rod or track width and how many panels you are hanging.
It divides the span, multiplies by fullness, and grows the drop by the finishes.
The answer ends a curtain that pulls flat against the glass when it is closed.
Fullness is what turns a limp sheet into soft, even vertical folds.
A tall window may need two bolt widths sewn together for the drop alone.
One clear per-panel figure lets you cut the pair without a nervous guess.
Why Curtain Panel Size Math Matters
Curtains need far more width than the window itself so they can gather into folds.
A fullness under two reads cheap and flat when the panels are drawn closed.
The heading style decides how much extra width the gathers or pleats consume.
A rod pocket and a double hem quietly add a foot to the cut length.
Narrow fabric means joining bolt widths side by side, and seams must be planned.
Getting the drop wrong leaves curtains pooling on the floor or short of it.
Lining doubles the cut and changes how the panel falls and blocks light.
Working the pair together keeps both panels matching in pattern and fold count.
The Formula
Each panel takes its share of the rod multiplied by the fullness plus a heading allowance to give the cut width, while the cut length is the finished drop grown by a rod pocket and a double hem, and the total fabric is that length repeated across as many bolt widths as the width needs.
- Fullness —
- the multiple of the rod width gathered into the panel folds
- Heading —
- the extra width a pocket, gather or pleat formation consumes at the top
- Cut widths —
- how many bolt widths must be joined to reach the panel width
Because fullness is spent across the width while hem and pocket are spent down the length, the tool resolves the cut width and the cut length as two separate answers before combining them into yardage.
Worked Example: Step by Step
- 1You have a seventy two inch rod hung as two panels.
- 2You choose a two and a half fullness for soft pencil gathers.
- 3Each panel takes half the rod, thirty six inches, times two and a half.
- 4That gathers to ninety inches, plus a heading allowance for the tape.
- 5The drop is ninety inches, grown by three for the pocket and six for hem.
- 6So each panel is cut near ninety six inches long.
- 7At fifty four inch fabric that width needs two joined bolt widths.
- 8The tool totals both panels at roughly six yards of fabric to buy.
- 9You then cut the lining to the same size and any interlining a hem narrower.
How to Use This Calculator
- Measure the rod or track width the curtains must span.
- Set how many panels you are hanging across it.
- Choose a fullness, two to two and a half is typical.
- Enter the finished drop from heading to hem.
- Pick the heading style to add its extra width.
- Read the per-panel cut size and the total yardage.
Key Terms
- Fullness
- how many times the rod width is gathered into the curtain folds
- Heading
- the finished top of a curtain where tape or a pocket gathers the fabric
- Rod pocket
- a stitched channel at the top that a curtain rod passes through
- Pencil gather
- even string-pulled gathers that fall into thin rounded folds
- Pinch pleat
- a tailored heading gathered into pinched groups at intervals
- Double hem
- a deep turned-up hem that weights the curtain and cleans the edge
- Split seam
- the vertical join where two bolt widths meet inside a wide panel
Curtain Panel Size Reference Table
| Heading | Extra width | Look |
|---|---|---|
| Rod pocket | about 4 in | Casual, soft |
| Pencil gather | about 6 in | Even, relaxed |
| Pinch pleat | about 8 in | Tailored, formal |
Treat the fullness and heading figures as a sensible starting point rather than fixed rules, since a stiff lined fabric holds fewer, deeper folds while a light unlined one gathers far more easily, so always hang a short test length and settle the true fold count before you cut the whole pair.
Common Mistakes & Pro Tips
- Cutting the panel to the window width and getting a flat, fold-less curtain.
- Setting fullness below two so the panels pull tight when they are closed.
- Forgetting the rod pocket and double hem, then hanging curtains a foot short.
- Ignoring that a wide panel needs joined bolt widths and unplanned split seams.
- Measuring the drop to the sill when a floor-length break was intended.
- Lining after cutting, so the facing and the panel never quite match up.
- Hanging mismatched pairs cut from two different dye lots of the same cloth.
- Sewing the split seam with a mismatched pattern so it shouts from the window.
Real-World Use Cases
- Drafting a matched pair of full-length living room panels.
- Sizing fabric for soft full-length pencil-gather curtains.
- Planning a tailored pinch-pleat bedroom curtain pair.
- Working out joined widths for a wide picture window.
- Budgeting lined curtain fabric for a bay of windows.
- Cutting light café curtains to a shorter drop.
- Reproducing shop-length draped curtains at home.
Curtain Panel Size: Frequently Asked Questions
What fullness should my curtains be?
Two to two and a half times the rod width gives soft, even folds, while pinch pleats often want two and a half or more. Anything under two looks thin and pulls flat once the panels are closed.
How much extra length for hem and heading?
Allow roughly three inches for a rod pocket and about six for a deep double hem, so add near nine inches to the finished drop. Lined curtains take a little more again at the top.
When do I join widths for a panel?
When the cut panel width passes the fabric bolt width you must sew two widths together to reach it. Place that split seam where a fold falls so it reads as design rather than a patch.
Do I cut both panels the same?
Yes, cut the pair to identical width and length so they hang evenly and meet cleanly at the centre. Matching the pattern repeat across both is what makes a pair look bought rather than cobbled.
Should I line my curtains?
A lining protects the face fabric from sun, adds weight for a better fall and improves blackout or warmth. It doubles the cut, so count the lining and any interlining in your shopping.
This page explains how the curtain panel size works, what each input means and where the numbers come from, so you can plan your next make with confidence.
Written by Bobbin & Form Editorial Team
Home sewists & machine-embroidery practitioners
Reviewed by Marie Delacroix
Custom sewist & machine-embroidery technician, 15 years at the machine
Formulas follow standard sewing and needlework references. Results are estimates — always confirm against your pattern and a pre-washed swatch.
Sources & further reading
- Threads Magazine — fabric cutting & yardage guides
- ISO 13934 — textile tensile & fabric property standards
- Your local fabric store's bolt-width charts