Sewing curtains can be really confusing, especially when you have no idea how to do it or if you are a beginner in this area. Since there are different designs; techniques and materials for today’s curtain decorations which can make you feel overwhelmed and perhaps you may consider it really hard to do. But this is not the case for the most part.

You do not need to be an expert in decoration or cutting and sewing to make your first curtains. What you will need is a lot of needle and thread to face the challenge of sewing the curtains. After you have gone through this experience you will learn that it really is not so difficult to do and that the technique is learned and perfected with practice. So get to work!

What You Will Need Before Sewing

Before starting to sew, you will need some essential things to make your first curtains, such as fabric. This fabric has to be one that is not as thick as linen or silk, as these tend to be more difficult for sewing in machine, and it is not what you want if it is your first time doing this. If you do not know which to choose then here we show you the types of fabric that you can choose:

Silk

This type of fabric is one of the most luxurious and comes in different patterns, but the most popular are those that are plain, as it gives a lighter touch to the environment. The contra is price tend to be more expensive than the others and are difficult to sew.

Cotton

It is one of the easiest fabrics to sew, and it has a great variety of colors, patterns and style. This type of fabric can help you get a classic ambience and the best thing is that it is easy to wash and maintain, and can last for many years.

Linen

This type of fabric has been booming, and although it is expensive is one of the fabrics most used to make curtains, however, only people with an advanced sewing technique can make the final product to be extraordinary because of how heavy the fabric is.

Synthetic

These types of fabrics are made with nylon or polyester and are one of the options that people use more because you clean them fast and do not need much maintenance, and they can last for a long period of time. In spite of being cheap they have their trick when it comes to working with them and it takes a little practice before actually working with this fabric.

Now; you have chosen your fabric. Next thing you are going to need is a needle.

You have to choose it depending on the sewing machine; the size and thickness of the needle. Then the thread, which must be the same color as the fabric or a similar tone, the ideal thing is not to see the seam. You will also need scissors, a meter, pins and a ruler.

The first thing to do is to measure the amount of fabric you are going to use, and this will depend on the length of the window; so you must first measure the window, both along and across. And remember to double the lenght of the curtain; since you will need to make a hem to cover.

Let’s Sew!

When you have already measured the curtain, the next thing you should know is that it is necessary to sew the four hems, the top, bottom and sides. I recommend that you begin to sew the sides so that this way we can do it neatly and that the width is maintained.

For you to work I recommend that you prepare the hems by making a first fold of 4 centimeters and then iron it, thus flatten the fabric and make it easier to sew it.

Then do another fold, but this time of 2 centimeters and this is so that it does not fray and to seal it again. Before sewing fix it with a few pins to prevent it from rolling.

To prevent pins from jamming with the machine, I recommend that you place them perpendicular to the curtain, and you remove them one by one as you pass them through the sewing machine.

After you finish the hems of the sides, continue with the bottom ones, you can try to buy a fabric that comes already with the bottom hem made, but if it is not your case, then do not worry, repeat the same process as the one of the sides, but the fold should be about 9 centimeters to make it look a little bigger.

Something very important to take into consideration before starting to sew is that you have to adjust the machine.

In order to avoid excessive tension that can cause the fabric to break; I recommend that you try before with a piece of the same fabric and choose a straight stitch.

Then, we must cut a ribbon, it can be from the same fabric or it can be a different one, but this is the one that will help us to fix the curtain with the curtain rod; measuring well the height from the floor to the curtain rod, the position of the tape. This must have enough space to fit the bar and should be the same width as the curtain.

After fastening the tape and passing the curtain through the machine from above and below, you must sew by hand a few stitches to prevent it from buckling in the corners.

And that’s it. It’s so easy is to make a curtain. Following these easy steps you can decorate any room with curtains of your liking; you do not need to be an expert in decoration to do it, and these curtains can be made by anyone without having experience with a sewing machine. The important thing is to have patience and remember that you can always buy more fabric and start over.

If you keep practicing you can make curtains with more details and have the space as you want.

References

The Best Way to Sew Leather Is Actually By Hand!

Hand Sewing Leather: How to thread your needles

30 Living Room Curtains Ideas – Window Drapes for Living Rooms

50 Window Treatment Ideas – Best Curtains and Window Coverings