Home Curtain sizing & fullness
Does curtain width on the packet mean one panel or the pair?
Published by Drape Notes
Check the package quantity and the manufacturer’s definition of width separately. A pair of 55-inch-wide individual panels gives 110 inches of flat fabric. A listing that describes 55 inches as the combined width gives 55 inches across that pair. The phrase “one pair” alone answers only the quantity question.
Make three entries on your shopping note
Record the number of panels in the package, width per individual panel, and whether that width is flat or already pleated. IKEA’s curtain guidance, for example, describes the stated width as the width of each individual curtain in its cited pairs. Check the exact product before extending that convention to another brand.
If the product photo shows curtains on both sides of a window but the listing says “one panel,” buying one package supplies one panel. If either dimension is unclear, look for a drawing or ask for the measured width of one finished panel laid flat. An image of styled folds cannot supply that number.
Convert the listing before comparing two options
Assume a 90 in rod and a target of 1.8×. You need 162 in of flat fabric. Option A is a pair of 54 in individual panels. One pack gives 108 in and two packs give 216 in, or 2.4× on that rod. Option B is a pair of 84 in individual panels. One pack gives 168 in, or about 1.87×. The package count differs even though both listings say “pair.”
Use a different column for finished pleats
If a workroom asks for the width the finished pleats should cover, enter the coverage dimension requested. Check whether it also wants returns to the wall and overlap at the opening. Preserve the supplier’s wording on the order, particularly for a split pair versus a one-way draw. This avoids confusing flat cloth, finished face width and package quantity.