Made-to-measure curtains: how they are made

Reviewing the order and checking the measurements

Before any work starts, the order is reviewed: the fabric, the model, the type of curtain, the fixing, the heights and widths, the seams and the hem.

The measurements are checked three times, against the designer's measurements or the figures the client sent. The window's geometry, the ceiling height, the position of the radiators and anything non-standard are checked too. Any question is raised before the fabric is cut: better to lose a day to checking than to spoil expensive fabric. The stage is short, and it prevents costly rework.

Checking the fabric before cutting

Every fabric is inspected for direction, pattern, fall and flaws from the mill. Fabric should arrive without defects, but even from reliable European makers it sometimes varies slightly in colour or pattern.

The cutting is then planned so that the finished curtain looks clean and in proportion. If a defect turns up, the supplier is contacted and the fabric is replaced rather than the flaw hidden. The inspection is done in daylight, because artificial light can hide differences in colour.

Cutting the fabric to the order

Fabric is cut only for a specific order, to exact markings that allow for the fall, the allowances, the pattern match and the chosen finish. It is first laid out on the work table and every line is marked: the top allowance for the track, the hem allowance, the side allowances and the pleat positions.

Nothing is cut by eye: a mistake made at the cutting stage shows on the window. On a patterned fabric, matching the pattern across the widths is one of the hardest stages and takes experience and patience, which is why this step gets full attention.

Sewing in Lithuania

The machines and methods are proven, but careful work matters most: exact matching, firm seams, symmetry, neat corners and a clean finish. Each curtain is sewn as a separate order, not on a production line, to its own measurements and heading.

The heading tape is formed, the sides are closed with hidden seams, and the hem is sewn accurately and with the right weight, so that no seam shows from the front and the curtain falls evenly.

A check during sewing

Once the order takes shape, it is checked: are the planned dimensions being kept, and do the seams and finishing details sit as they should? Any deviation is caught and corrected during sewing, while that is still easy and cheap.

Found only once the curtain hangs at the window, the same mistake costs time, fabric and patience. So the check is required on every order, whatever its size.

Final pressing and preparation

After sewing, the curtain is given its final pressing with a steam iron. This is where it takes its final shape and the pleats start to "remember" their position. Pressing removes the creases left by sewing and gives the fabric a supple fall that a home iron cannot achieve.

The curtain is then folded or put on a hanger, depending on how it will be delivered, and looked over once more before the final check.

The final check before handover

Before the order is sent or handed over, the curtain is checked once more against this list:

• •whether it matches the measurements (length, width, allowances),
• •whether there are any defects (seams, fabric, finish),
• •whether the finish is clean and symmetrical,
• •whether the order is ready to hang.

A second check after sewing catches what may have been missed during sewing, before the curtain reaches your home.

Hanging: as a service, or yourself

The curtains can be:

• •hung as part of the fitting service (an extra service, unless the invoice or the agreement says otherwise),
• •or hung by you.

Hanging is usually straightforward for anyone with basic tools and a little patience. As a service, the fitter brings all the equipment needed and leaves the room tidy; how long it takes depends on the number of windows.