How to hang curtains

I bought a pole on line. It’s too big for my window, I hate it and I can’t afford to replace it! Some shops are on line and offering advice.

Bluebell how do you manage the pole round the bay or the angle at the corners? When we tried it with a pole supposedly to do this we found it would not support the curtain weight. The last house with a bay we had to use a track and get it to bend to shape and I made triple pleat headings whichI stitched in place by hand as I could not, get the special hooks with the wire supports on them.

MiniMoon

We bought metal poles with a joint in the middle. Big mistake!
I have trouble every day, trying to nudge the rings over the joint. Nearly every time one or two of the rings catches and the hook comes out leaving the curtains with a gap. I'm too little to reach up and rehang them.
I wish we'd never seen them!

I’ve put this on another post so forgive if you’ve already seen this. Amazon do silicone tape which you stick along the top of the pole. Rings slide beautifully along it. It gets rid of the pole joint issue and also reduces clatter. Works really well and is invisible.

BlueBelle, they look good in other people's houses, but to me, curtains serve a purpose. They should keep out light - and the cold (or keep the heat in).

Poles are just too far away from the window frame. I've replaced mine with close-fitting, bendable metal tracks that return to the walls. I like curtains to enclose the entire window area, from floor to ceiling.

Always have had pole eyelet curtains and have never had a problem I have big bay windows and I think they look good to me

MiniMoon I had that really annoying problem trying to nudge the curtains over the joint on one of the bedroom poles. Tugging and pulling till I end up pulling off a hook.

I now use a cane to flick the curtain hooks over the joint and it works perfectly.

suey, I prefer the pleated top type - but they have to hang and overlap perfectly. You can buy shaped metal overlap supports to hook into.

I use a length of foam backer rod (from DIY shops) in every pleat to hold them in shape. I remove/store them when the curtains are changed and cleaned (summer to winter and vice versa).

We have eyelet curtains which hang and draw much easier and always look good. Poles are stainless steel with the very large windows having a support in the middle of a single pole with a curtain either side so very easy to pull back and forth.

We bought metal poles with a joint in the middle. Big mistake!
I have trouble every day, trying to nudge the rings over the joint. Nearly every time one or two of the rings catches and the hook comes out leaving the curtains with a gap. I'm too little to reach up and rehang them.
I wish we'd never seen them!

Have a look at the curtains2go website. I have used them several times and they are really good. Lots of info on there about measuring properly. I've also had blinds from blinds2go. I've just had a look and they've something called "wave curtains". Not heard of those before, but they come complete with track, so could be a solution for you.