How are made to order curtains made?
A retailer measures the window and sends the order to a workroom. There the order is checked, the fabric is cut to length, widths are joined, the sides and bottom are hemmed, the heading is sewn on, and the finished curtain is inspected, folded and packed for the retailer to install.
Speedy Blinds is one of those workrooms. This is the general path a curtain takes. The details differ between makers and between headings.
The steps
- The order is checked. Width, drop, fabric, heading and hem have to agree with each other before anything is cut.
- The fabric is allocated. The roll has to be in the workroom, in the right colour and with enough length for the job.
- Cutting. Lengths are cut for the drop plus the allowances for the heading and the hem.
- Joining. Where the curtain is wider than the fabric, lengths are sewn together with vertical seams that fall into the folds.
- Hemming. The sides and the bottom are turned and sewn, or a weight is sewn into the bottom of a sheer.
- Heading. The tape or stiffening is sewn across the top, and the pleats, hooks or pendants are fitted.
- Lining, if there is one, is attached.
- Checking and packing. The curtain is measured and looked over, then folded and packed.
Some curtains have one more step, called pre training, where the folds are set at the workroom before packing.
Why it takes the time it does
The sewing is often not the longest part. A job can only start once the order is accepted and the fabric has arrived, and fabric ordered in from a supplier typically takes one to two weeks, longer in peak periods. Manufacturing times are estimates, and the weeks before Christmas are the slowest of the year.
What stays with the retailer
The workroom makes what is on the order. Measuring the window, advising on fabric, quoting and installing are the retailer's work.
If you want curtains made, start with a curtain retailer. They measure, quote and place the order with their workroom.
Other ways people ask this
What is a curtain workroom?
The place where curtains are cut and sewn to order, usually for retailers rather than the public.
Are made to measure and custom made curtains the same as made to order?
Yes. All three mean a curtain made for one window.
How long do made to order curtains take?
It depends on the fabric, the workroom and the time of year. Your retailer can give you an estimate.
Are made to order curtains made in Australia?
Many are. Ours are made in Thomastown, Melbourne. Ask your retailer where theirs are made.
This answer is general information. For your own windows, your retailer's advice and your order with them come first.
Last reviewed