Wanted: Idiot guide to making curtains

r.mac_2

i haven't made curtains before but have just purchased the material to make roman blinds - like you I am swallowing hard before diving in.

As you have a pole up, curtains sound the best option. Tab-tops should be really easy. try this link http://www.alternative-windows.com/tabtop-curtains.htm

My mum is always telling m enot to hem curtains until thye have hung for a while! apparently it makes a real difference.

good luck - i would love to know how you get on.

Badger_Lady

Simple, straight curtains are easy. Just stitch in curtain tape (available from any fabric shop or haberdashery). If you're lining them, great - do this first (simple hemmed sheet of fabric).

Tab-tops are fine if that's what you're going for, but to me it's a bit more fiddly, cutting out and shaping all those tabs than just stitching tape in.

My Mum makes curtains for a living and is very talented - she does some much more complicated and elaborate designs, which look stunning (she's even done some work for the Royals!). But even she'd encourage you to make your own simple curtains

luxor4t

I have made most of our curtains, if you ahve a sewing machine it is not difficult.
The first time, I started by copying a ready made unlined curtain that already fitted the window. That way you get the right amount of fabric etc.
I did have one disaster with a very busy horizontal striped pattern as the 2 curtains did not match up when pulled closed - a bit like this: ,,,,'''''''. I always double check now, or avoid obvious patterns!
maybe you could find a book from the library, otherwise this site looks helpful: http://www.alternative-windows.com/curtainindex.htm
Hope this helps!

beemuzed

Never made tab tops, but agree with Badgerlady that using curtain tape on straight curtains is really easy. Make sure you allow plenty of width though, so they gather and hang well. Good Luck!

nuttywoman

I also iron the fold at the top of the curtains before sewing to make sure i get a nice straight line at the top.

Pink.

Hi icandream,

There's an earlier thread that may help too so I've added your thread to it to keep all the suggestions together.

Pink

icandream

Hi all -

Huge thanks for your encouraging comments. I feel very inspired, and will give the plain gathered curtains a go. I can see the point about the tab tops being a little bit fiddly.
Thanks for finding the earlier thread pink-winged - I do feel enthused.

Savvy_Sue

I know I posted in this thread a couple of years ago, but having actually made some curtains for friends returning from abroad last summer, may I just offer a few words of advice?

Measure, check, measure, check and only then CUT! :rotfl:

What happened was someone had bought curtains from IKEA. Very long curtains. Curtains SO long that we worked out we could make four pairs out of two pairs!

I measured, I put lines of pins in for both my cutting line and my two hem lines (one each side of the cut), checked that I'd got the right dimensions for both sets of windows, and started cutting. When I'd finished cutting one curtain, I thought my line looked a bit squiffy, and discovered that I'd slid off from my cutting line onto the pin for one of my hem lines. :mad:

So my friend has one curtain with a decent hem at one end and a very narrow one at the other. I just about got away with it.

And for anyone wondering how long it took, I spent all day on it, using wondaweb for the hems (that's what IKEA give you) but sewing the curtain tape onto the two 'new' pairs of curtains. Not a job to rush, but perfectly straightforward.

moanymoany

If you google 'making lined curtains' all the info you need will pop up.

I did this when I wanted to make a Roman blind and it was a success.

thriftyjan

I have the very old drafty windows "metal" even though my curtains are lined.still a draft. I have brought blankets from charity shops - "cut to size over curtain - then undo heading tape - slip blanket inside - resew curtain back together " now marvelously draught proof. Did all my curtains in my flat!