Need blackout curtains but dont want blackout curtains...

puddy

if you see what I mean.

I want curtains much like this..http://www.next.co.uk/x494186s1#833044x49

or something like it anyway, but need them to be dark enough to black out the sunshine and the neighbours security light

but... I do not have a sewing machine and wouldnt call myself competent with sewing although I can put on buttons etc.

Is it possible to get something like this and then attach another fabric to the back of them to make them into blackouts? Would if affect the way they hang and would I attach it to the lining only as I thought if I sew it onto the whole thing then I woujld see the stitch marks on the outside?

lizzyb1812

Lined curtains block out more light. You've gone for light material so you may have an issue. You could have roller blinds at the windows as well - I have blinds and curtains in my bedroom to block out a nearby street light and the morning sun.

Linings don't have to be sewn in - the header tape on the curtains will have more than one row of loops so you could hook linings into the header tape - no sewing. How they would hang would depend on the thickness of the original curtains, whether they are already lined and the thickness of the additional lining fabric. You could try a proper curtain shop and ask how to achieve what you want - then adapt their answers to your Next (or similar) curtains. I have curtains hooked to the header tape of my "top" curtains for extra insulation in winter and they hang fine.

Bitsy_Beans

We bought black out roller blinds from Argos, cut them to size and drill them in place. No sewing and can be adjusted to any height you want during the day to shade from the sun and drop down fully at night to block out the light. They are in a cream colour so not obtrusive to the window when pulled up or down.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/ID72/Colour/pp/20/q/BLACKOUT%2BROLLER%2BBLIND/r_001/1|Colour|Cream|1.htm

puddy

thanks, i dont really want blinds if i can help it. I have just raked out some curtains which i bought last year, they are only just about the right size but i can get away with it. they lined, but most of the 'lining' on cheap curtains like these (and the ones from next) are not efficient at blocking light.

the curtains i found in the drawer are eyelet curtains. how would curtain linings be affixed to these? should i use curtain rings for the linings and then place the eyelets to hang these curtains in between the rings or something like that? it might look a bit of a mess. im trying to get away with spending as little money as possible and not having to sew anything!

Ninno820

Hi - I thought that you could get cream balckout curtains which would fit in with your colour scheme. Could you not fix these to the curtains - sewing just underneath the eyelets thereby creating a second lining?

puddy

Ninno820 wrote: »

Hi - I thought that you could get cream balckout curtains which would fit in with your colour scheme. Could you not fix these to the curtains - sewing just underneath the eyelets thereby creating a second lining?

thanks, would i sew them to the lining of the curtain, otherwise it will look odd on the front? would they hang properly?

markdebby

Hiya, you can buy blackout linings. I got a swish rail and they just clip in like curtains. I hate the sun coming in first thing in the morning. Just type blackout lining into ebay and you will see them.

bonsaitreej

Hi we used to have an east facing bedroom so lots of light first things and as neither of us are early birds we had the same problem. We ended up doing both - black out cream coloured roller blinds like Bitsy Beans with some prettier curtains as well. Even the heavy black (double lined) patterned curtains I bought couldn't keep the light out on their own. The roller blinds were actually quite unobtrusive as your eye was drawn to the curtains.

Alikay

We're just redecorating and have got new mainly white curtains. I've got round the problem by ordering a plain white blackout roller blind. It's barely visible against our white window frames when rolled up during the day, but blocks out the light in the early morning.

Cost under £50 made to measure, and our window is about 7ft wide.

puddy

hmm well having had a look around the internet, the blackout linings are mainly for the use with pencil pleat curtains although dunelm mill seem to do ones they call eyelet blackout linings but in fact simply use a see through curtain ring...

however, how difficult would it be for me to buy some nice blackout material, (i dont like the more plasticky fabrics) and then cut holes in them to match up with the curtains i have and then put eyelets in them, or glue them to the curtains i have?

would this look any good?

meames_2

dunelm do eyelet blackout curtains