Easy to Make Curtains / Drapes

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You don’t need to spend a lot on pricey drapery—not when you can make it yourself. Each of our two finished curtains started out as two lengths of Sis Boom fabric seamed together and then lined. Add a bamboo pole and some bamboo rings to get that effortless tropical elegance.
 
Adapted from "Happy Home: Twenty Sewing and Craft Projects to Pretty Up Your Home" by Jennifer Paganelli, published by Chronicle Books.
 
Finished size of each curtain:
89 by 80 in/226 by 203 cm
 
Materials:
 
Materials
- 11½ yd/10.5 m printed mid-weight cotton fabric (45 in/114 cm wide) for Curtain
- 11½ yd/10.5 m solid white drapery lining fabric (54 in/137 cm wide) for Lining
- 5 yd/4.5 m Deep Pleat Tape by Drapery Sewing Supplies
- 16 long-neck 4-prong pleat hooks
- 16 drapery rings to fit your curtain rod
- Coordinating thread
 
From the sewing basket:
- Scissors for fabric
- Pins
- Water-soluble fabric marker or chalk pencil
- Ruler
- Hand sewing needle

Source: ,Amazon.com: Happy Home: Twenty Sewing and Craft Projects t...

Step 1

CUTTING:
 
Cut the Curtain fabric in half so you have two 5-3/4 yd/ 5.25-m-long pieces. Repeat with the Lining fabric.
 
Fold each fabric in half, with right sides together, and align the cut edges. Using the fabric marker and the ruler, draw the dimensions below onto the wrong side of the fabric.
 
From Curtain fabric:
Cut four 95-1/2 by 42-1/2 in/243 by 108-cm rectangles.
 
From Lining fabric:
Cut four 94-1/2 by 41 in/ 240 by 104-cm rectangles.

Step 2

Seam Curtain and Lining Panels:
 
ASSEMBLE
A. Place 2 Curtain panels right sides together, align all raw edges, and pin along 1 long edge. Sew together with a 1/2-in/12-mm seam allowance. Press the seam open and finish the raw edges in your preferred method. Repeat with the other Curtain panels.
 
B. Repeat previous step with the Lining panels.
 
C. With a Curtain wrong-side up, fold 1 short edge over 3 in/7.5 cm and press. Fold the same edge over another 3 in/7.5 cm and press, pinning as needed. Edge stitch along the inner folded edge.
Repeat on the other Curtain and both Lining pieces.

Step 3

Join Curtain and Lining:
 
A. Place 1 Curtain and 1 Lining piece with right sides together, align along 1 long side edge and along the top edge, then pin together along the side edge only. The Curtain panel will be 3 in/7.5 cm wider and 1 in/2.5 cm longer than the Lining. Sew the side edge together with a 1/2-in/12-mm seam allowance. Then pull the unsewn side of the Lining piece over to align with the other long side edge of the Curtain, and pin. Sew together with a 1/2-in/12-mm seam allowance. Press the seams open and finish the raw edges in your preferred method. Repeat with the other Curtain and Lining piece.
 
B. Keeping the joined Curtain and Lining pieces with right sides together, align along the top raw edges, making sure to match up the center seam. Since the Lining piece is narrower than the Curtain, the Curtain fabric will roll toward the Lining side about 1-1/2 in/4 cm on each side. Pin the top edges and sew together with a 1/2-in / 12-mm seam allowance. Trim off the corners and turn the joined panels right-side out. Press along the top edge and each side edge to set crease. Repeat with the other Curtain and Lining pieces. (See illustration.)
 

Step 4

C. With a hand sewing needle and thread, slipstitch each bottom Curtain corner to hem.(See illustration.)

Step 5

Pleat Tape and Hooks:
A. With the Lining side of 1 Curtain face up, place the pleat tape 1/4 in/6 mm from the top edge and pin in place. Make sure the “pocket” side of the pleat tape is right-side up. Turn the raw edges of the short end of the tape under so the fold lines up with the Lining/Curtain seam. Edge stitch the pleat tape in place along both top and bottom edges. Repeat with the other curtain.
 
B. Working your way out from the center of a Curtain, count 7 pleat pockets. Place the first prong of a pleat hook into that pocket. Working toward the center, skip 3 pockets and place the second prong into next (fourth) pocket. From the second prong, skip 3 pockets and then place the third prong into next (fourth) pocket. From the third prong, skip 3 pockets and then place the fourth prong into next (fourth) pocket. You have now created your first set of pleats. Place the next set of pleats 10 or 11 pockets away from the first set. Working in the same manner, place the prong in the pocket, skip 3 pockets, and place next prong in next pocket. Do this along the entire top edge of the Curtain. Repeat on the second Curtain. If you are confused, the manufacturer has great instructions and videos on how to use the Deep Pleat Tape with the 4-prong pleat hooks.
 
C. Place drapery rings on your curtain rod. With the right side of the Curtain toward you, slip each hook into the small eyelet at the bottom of a drapery ring.



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