Home Furnishing Products and Techniques
This domain tests the making and measurement of curtains, cushions, bed linen, table linen and upholstery, with attention to fullness, hems, seams and pattern matching.
Core concepts
- Home furnishing products must suit the room’s function, light control, privacy and maintenance. Fabric choice affects drape, fade resistance and washability.
- Curtain width is based on the rod or track, not the window glass. Fullness ratio is the flat fabric width divided by the finished curtain width; common ratios are 1.5 to 2.5.
- Allow hem allowance, heading allowance and shrinkage. For patterned fabric, add pattern repeat so motifs match at seams.
- Cushion covers need seam allowance, an opening method (zip, button or envelope back) and reinforced corners. Bed linen needs accurate dimensions and durable seams.
Worked example
A rod is 2.0 m wide and the chosen fullness is 2.5. Required flat width = 2.0 × 2.5 = 5.0 m. Fabric is 1.5 m wide, so 4 widths give 6.0 m; 3 widths give only 4.5 m. Finished drop is 2.2 m; add 0.3 m for hems and heading, giving 2.5 m per width. Total fabric = 4 × 2.5 = 10.0 m, plus extra for pattern repeat if needed. The reasoning rounds up to whole fabric widths and calculates length separately.
Traps that cost marks
Measuring the window instead of the rod, ignoring fullness, forgetting hems and shrinkage, and failing to add pattern repeat are common. Do not cut patterned fabric without matching the repeat at seams.
Exam focus
Quantity calculations, product suitability, seam and hem choice, and care requirements.