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Recommendations for made to measure curtains

(15 Posts)
ExDancer Sun 21-Jan-24 11:51:19

I need some new curtains.
I made the last lot myself, two standard size windows plus another huge pair for a large patio window (they were very heavy) and at 85 years old I don't feel like tackling the job again.
My friend bought some from Plums and the quality of the workmanship is appauling - the seams are all ruckeled as if the tension on the sewing machine was faulty (I'd have sent them back).
I'd be interested to hear of firms you've used which have given good service - but not too pricy smile

GrannyGravy13 Sun 21-Jan-24 11:53:41

Last sets of curtains I had made were from John Lewis, excellent service and workmanship.

They will fit them for you as well for a small price.

Lyndylou Sun 21-Jan-24 12:51:39

Curtains Made Simple if you are happy to do all measuring up yourself. Purchased during lockdown and I am very pleased with them.

tanith Sun 21-Jan-24 13:24:58

Dunelm make curtains I’ve no experience but maybe worth investigating.

Charleygirl5 Sun 21-Jan-24 13:35:42

I went to a shop local to where I live and they were really good and hanging was not a problem. I could neither make nor hang curtains as I am fairly useless.

cornergran Sun 21-Jan-24 13:43:12

Dunelm made and hung curtains for a family member. Five years on they still look good

kittylester Sun 21-Jan-24 13:53:10

I second John Lewis. We have had ready modes and made to measure from them.

Septimia Sun 21-Jan-24 14:37:17

I was looking for curtians the other day. Dunelm had some Iliked, so I measured up - patio doors, a wide window and and average one. I put the measurements for the patio doors into the website and the (sale) price for made to measure was over £200, meaning that the whole set was likely to come to over £500.

I have more interesting things to spend that amount of money on, so looked to see if they sell the fabric by the metre. I bought enough material to do all the curtains and have some for cushions etc for £120. Admittedly the curtains won't be lined, but we seldom pull them as we're not overlooked - they're just there to stop the windows looking naked.

Of course, I've gone and given myself another job to do in making them!

Septimia Sun 21-Jan-24 14:38:10

Should have checked: curtains !

Pammie1 Sun 21-Jan-24 14:42:49

Not made to measure in the strictest sense, but Next have a good range of curtains for larger size windows and several different length options. I’ve purchased several pairs including one pair for a high patio door, very successfully. They’re good quality and well made. Next also offer a made to measure service, but Ive never used it.

LadyGracie Sun 21-Jan-24 15:06:32

Julian Charles excellent quality and reasonably priced.

ExDancer Tue 23-Jan-24 10:16:17

I've always made my own curtains and always lined them, its not the problem, its the sheer weight of the big ones that I can't manage any more. Even though I had the dining table opened out to its full length - the weight of material meant that they slipped off as I was sewing, and I decided that at my age it has become just too big a job for me.
The offer was from Chums, and I'd have been able to re-curtain the whole room for under £200 (if only the long ones were the right length).
Maybe I could order the long ones and take them up myself. But I shall look at some of your recommendations and see what they can offer.

Primrose53 Tue 23-Jan-24 10:28:27

Are there no people locally who work from home and would do them? Look in local mags or online.

We have a few such people in our village and they are very experienced and do a great job. They are also very much cheaper.

Doodledog Tue 23-Jan-24 10:28:40

www.curtainsmadeforfree.co.uk

I've used this company before and was happy with it. Their name and advertising are awful, but there is a huge range, and the curtains I got (thermal lined, pinch pleat) are lovely. they arrived with the hooks in, so all I had to do was slot them onto the pole. You just measure your window and they work out the width.

karmalady Tue 23-Jan-24 10:31:11

I made my own good quality lined curtains from 1970 until 2010 and that is when I decided enough was enough. I had dunelm then for the very large upstairs windows, blinds from blinds24 for all downstairs. Dunelm were not wide enough for one window so I roughly sewed two together. The others were fine and did the job

In 2016 I ordered hand made curtains for the massive window, had to take measurements myself and hang them myself. They were lovely and well-made but I was widowed by then and went up a stepladder, carrying the weight of them on my shoulders. They cost £600 then

Never again, I moved in 2019 and now my whole house is fitted with wooden (not mdf) lovely plantation shutters. The bedrooms needed to be a little darker so I had perfect fit insulating cellular blinds fitted onto the window frames behind the shutters, upstairs. A perfect combo. No more curtains for me, not ever

I chose a random online supplier when I bought the one big curtain which reached to the floor, I was lucky. They still need to hang and they do drop, so I had to go up that ladder twice.

I would say honestly that dunelm was very good value and the curtains were well made. I would have those again, if I really had to have curtains and if they fitted my windows