Taking curtains up.

jfdi

I’ve 2 pairs of curtains, both been up a year or so, that I’ve now decided need lifting off the floor as although they look nice they act as a bit of a muck collector. Both are lined, but the lining is only sewn to the curtain fabric at the top and sides, the bottom is open.

I know it’s said curtains are best taken up from the top, but tbh I really can’t face that (both pairs are in bay windows so are long and wide!). Do you think I’d be ok separating the fabrics a bit along the seams and taking up from the bottom, then sewing seams back?

Thank you in advance.

Jellytotts

Taking them up from the top is so much easier and ensures they stay nice and square. Honestly it's not a big a job as it sounds.  

maman

Personally I like my long curtains pooling on the floor but I'd shorten from the bottom . It may be the professional way but shortening from the top is almost like making a new pair from scratch. I like hand sewn hems too for the curtains although I do machine linings. 

CapricornLass

No, I would shorten from the top.  Its a nause unpicking the heading tape off, but in the end, I think this way is quicker and produces a better result.  Like you, I had to alter a pair of bay window curtains, and to be honest, I think the biggest problem is finding enough floor space to lay the curtain out flat so that you can cut the surplus off in a strainght line and repin the heading tape on again.  It was certainly much easier to do that way than I expected, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if I had to shorten lined curtains in the future

purpleivy

CUrtain linings normally hang loose at the bottom. 

Shortening  from the top is soooooooo much easier than shortening from the bottom, especially if you have to hand sew.  I do alterations and repairs as a job. If the hems look nice when they come then I will take from the top. If the bottoms are a bit ropy looking then I would do the bottom. One of my regulars brought me curtains to alter a few weeks ago. The curtain tape had perished for some reason.  So shortened from the top, but have had them here where the bottom was 'pooling' and they were  grubby, so off came the bottom. I have a blind hemmer, so no big deal for me.  Sewing tape on is straight forward. 

If you have eyelet curtains they will have to be done from the bottom, if you want a life!

jfdi

Thank you all, I guess I’ll be doing them from the top then!
Having just completed a batch of Christmas sewing, lockdown2 gives me 2 weeks to get these sorted. I guess I could take advantage and wash them too..........before I take them up in case of shrinkage.

xx