The Café Curtain

Both are ways of gathering the fabric at the top of the curtain, but they sit differently on the pole.

Rod Pocket is the classic café curtain look - The pole slides straight through a pocket at the top of the curtain. Softly gathered, creating an easy, relaxed look.

Pleated is hung on rings - The top edge is gathered in to pleats, that hang from rings, with the pole sitting above the curtain rather than through it.

Each curtain is made to order in our Charlbury studio. Allow 3–4 weeks from order to dispatch. We'll email you the moment yours is on its way.

Write to us within 48 hours of ordering and we can usually amend your measurements before the fabric is cut.

Our standard rod pocket and double rod pocket curtains fit poles up to 19mm in diameter.

If your pole is wider, leave a message for the maker at checkout with the exact diameter, we'll adapt the pocket to fit.

Pleated curtains use rings, so pole diameter isn't a concern.

Fullness is how much extra fabric we cut relative to your finished width, so the curtain gathers softly across the pole rather than pulling flat.

How much depends on the style and fabric:

• Rod Pocket in linen - 1.5× fullness
• Rod Pocket in cotton - 2× fullness
• Double Rod Pocket in linen - 1.5x fullness
• Double Rod Pocket in cotton - 2x fullness
• Pleated - 2× fullness in any fabric

Order samples. £2 each, posted to you free of charge. Feel the weight, hold them to your window, and see how the colour sits in your own light before you commit.

Because each curtain is cut and sewn to your measurements, made-to-measure orders can't be returned or exchanged unless faulty. We'd always suggest ordering fabric samples first.

Most of our fabrics ask for very little, a warm iron or steam on arrival and spot clean only. A care card for your curtain is included with every order.

The calculator covers widths up to 300cm and drops up to 250cm. If your window falls outside that, write to us - we like unusual windows.