For a long time, I thought that the more gathers, the better. It sounds logical, but in practice, it doesn’t always work. Several projects have taught me that choosing the gather ratio has a huge impact on the final result.

What’s the difference between 1:2 and 1:2.5?

A 1:2 ratio means that two meters of fabric make one meter of finished curtain. 1:2.5 creates even more pleats and volume.

Everything looks beautiful in photos, but in reality, too much gathers can overwhelm a room, especially with heavy fabrics.

How I distinguish between them in practice?

For everyday curtains in a living room or bedroom, I usually choose 1:2. It looks elegant and isn’t visually “heavy.”
I save 1:2.5 for more decorative projects or very lightweight fabrics.
When in doubt, I check the descriptions on curtainmaker.uk, where the gather ratio is clearly stated, without any confusing abbreviations.

The most important lesson

More isn’t always better. It is better to match the gathers to the interior rather than relying on the number alone.