The Best Bluetooth for your Boat (v0.1)Fully lined curtains are elegant, block double the light of unlined curtains and protect the fabric from fading in the sunshine. Sewing curtains with lining is great for children's and baby's rooms, which require more darkness. Plus, they also allow the curtain fabric to appear opaque, as it has the backing fabric of the lining. While they look complicated to sew, they are actually incredibly easy, once you know a few tips for hiding all the stitching. Before doing any sewing, first you need to cut your curtain fabric and lining fabric. Check out this post on how to sew grommet curtains to learn the steps properly measure your windows for curtains. you will need to measure, cut, and sew any panels together to have our curtain fabric the size you want for your windows prior to beginning this tutorial. To add in the correct amount for the sides, top and bottom, use the following guide: The top will be treated based on your hardware of choice, so be sure to add in the amount you need for your fixtures. 

The hem allowance to add in is 4" and the side seam allowance is 2" for each side, making it 4" wider overall. Large Tin Bath For SaleThe lining fabric should be cut to the same size as the curtain fabric, then trimmed down to be 2" shorter and 4" narrower. Race Car Tire CartOnce you have the panels ready to go, proceed to step 1 below to start the sewing process.Vinyl Tile Youtube Iron and ironing board (a small portable pressing board can be helpful, so you can bring it to the fabric instead of the other way around, allowing you to keep the fabric flat on your surface), seam gauge, scissors, pins, sewing machine, and an area large enough to lay out your entire curtain. This can be your floor or a large dining table, just as long as you can lay it all out, as that will make the pinning and lining up steps much easier once you have the volume of yardage that curtains typically require.

Fold the hem of the curtain fabric up 3/4" and press with an iron set to the appropriate heat for the fabric you are using. A seam gauge will help this step a lot, as pictured above. Fold the hem of the curtain fabric a second time, this time making the fold 3 1/4" so the hem amount between the two folds is a full 4" hem. Press with your iron. Repeat steps one and two with your lining fabric, first folding and pressing 3/4" and then folding 3 1/4" and pressing a second time for the full 4" hem allowance. Pin the hems in place in preparation for sewing. Tip: With this amount of fabric, it is more important than ever to have the excess fabric to the left of the needle. Pinning the pins into the fabric with the heads of the pins facing you will allow you to pull them out easier as you wrangle all the curtain fabric. Stitch the hem of the curtain, sewing close to the hem fold. Tip: find a spot on your presser foot to follow since the 4" hem is too large to follow on your seam allowance guide.

For my example, I used the right edge of the left toe along the fold to keep my stitches straight. Remember, you will see these on the right side of the curtain. For an entirely invisible hem, this step can be hand sewn. Repeat step 5 with your lining fabric, sewing close to the hem fold just as you did on the main curtain fabric. Press the stitching and the bottom hem fold with your iron. Repeat step 7 with your lining fabric, pressing both the stitching and the bottom fold. Place the curtain fabric on a flat surface with the right side facing up. Lay the lining fabric down on top of the curtain fabric, right side down so the right sides are facing. Line up the top edges and one of the side edges. The opposite side will not line up since the lining is less wide. The hems also will not line up since the lining is 2" shorter than the curtain fabric. Pin along the side seam that you have lined up. It can be helpful to pin a little bit along the top edge and the bottom edge to secure the lining in place.

Stitch the lining to the curtain fabric along the side that you pinned in step 10. Use a 1/2" seam allowance. Lay the curtain flat again and this time line up the fabric and lining on the side opposite the sewn side. Because the lining is narrower than the curtain, lining up the side seams will pull the seam sewn in step 11 beyond the stitch line. Pin and stitch the fabrics together at the same 1/2" seam allowance as you did in step 11. Press both of the side seams flat after sewing to flatten the fabrics. Then turn the tube of fabric right side out, so the wrong sides of the lining and curtain fabric are facing. Once you turn the curtain right side out, the lining will naturally roll 1" of the curtain fabric to the wrong side of the curtain, keeping the lining away from the edge. Use your seam gauge to measure the fabric that is rolled to the back side of the curtain and press in place. At the bottom corner on the lining side of the curtain, fold the raw edge of the fabric at a diagonal, tucking the raw edge in.

Press the fold with your iron. Hand sew the fold in place using a needle and thread. Repeat the folding, pressing, and hand stitching on the other corner of the hem. Finish the top of the curtain based on how you choose to hang it. For a pole, fold a small amount and press, then fold again enough to fit the rod through the fabric and stitch in place. For ring clips, fold and press the top layers twice and stitch. Then simply clip and hang! Sew custom curtains and draperies that elevate your decor! Learn the techniques you need to create elegant shirred, pleated and grommeted styles. Photo By: Kim Cornelison Photo By: Dawn Mohrmann When Donna of Funky Junk Interiors needed a window topper in her kitchen, she turned to an inexpensive and unexpected material — burlap coffee sacks that she embellished with stenciled typography. She created treatments for three windows for a grand total of $3, including hardware. No one would ever believe that these curtains cost around $18, including hardware.

Michael from Inspired by Charm found this cheery fabric on clearance and hung it using pieces of chain link hooked onto oversized nails. Lindsay from Makely School for Girls customized her windows by creating a scalloped valance out of 99-cent bamboo placemats. She transformed them with spray paint, a hot glue gun and some black ribbon. Window treatments don't have to be fussy. Karianne from Thistlewood Farms proves this by using a small piece of drop cloth trimmed with a bright pink grosgrain ribbon as a valance. Without pleats, ruffles or folds, this treatment is simple but chic. Roeshel from DIY Show Off made these no-sew custom drapes out of drop cloths embellished with handwritten script. Roeshel suggests making pencil lines first to keep the typography straight. Try writing a favorite poem or song lyrics to make it personal. At approximately $9 per panel, this is a big decorating bang for your buck. Remnant fabric found at an upholstery shop is put to work as guest room drapes.

They were lined with $5 of white twin bed sheets and trimmed with lengths of upholstery webbing cut in half length-wise and affixed with a glue gun. Mitering the corners of the trim polishes off the look. A canvas drop cloth, a coat hanger and some clothespins make this window treatment not only inexpensive but super easy to make. Donna from Funky Junk Interiors draped a drop cloth over a coat hanger and clipped it into place with clothespins. The hook of the coat hanger simply balances on the window trim for a fun, whimsical look. If you're a little short on fabric, try making a paper garland to use as a window topper. Paula from Counting Your Blessings strung pages from vintage books onto ribbon, bunching them tightly to create a fluffy, unique and inexpensive valance. Julie from Julie Loves Home makes rustic burlap look modern with the addition of metal grommets. These floor-to-ceiling drapes add a lot of texture without going over budget. Fussy, full-length drapes aren't ideal for bathroom spaces.

Traci Hutcherson from Beneath My Heart proves that with a simple window treatment made out of a pillowcase. She tacked the pillowcase into place and added pleating for detail. Not only is it thrifty and quick, but it's well-suited in a humid space. Why should floral arrangements be limited to tabletops? Linda from It All Started With Paint created a simple, farmhouse-inspired window treatment with glass Mason jars and twine. She then filled the jars with seasonal fresh flowers. After coming up empty in her search for inexpensive curtain hardware with a custom look, Karianne from Thistlewood Farms decided to make her own using a dowel rod, finials and brackets. She crafted these clever curtain rods for just $5 in materials from a hardware store. While shopping at a local feed and farm supply store, Kendra from Creative Ambitions caught site of three rusty tractor steering wheels. While most people would pass them by, Kendra saw that the $3.00 wheels would make unique "curtain rods" for her porch.

She mounted the wheels and then draped inexpensive muslin to complete the look. When Brittany Walls from Pretty Handy Girl found some unused exterior shutters in the attic of her home, she decided to repurpose them as an interior window treatment. Since the shutters were originally made for the outside of the home, they were the perfect fit at the perfect price — free! Rhoda from Southern Hospitality used inexpensive foam core to create cornices for her bathroom. Some remnant fabric and pretty trim make this budget-friendly design look higher end. Foam core is easy to cut with a craft knife, so the shape can be customized for any window. Tension rods and leftover fabric are used by Beth from Home Stories A to Z to make these faux Roman shades for her living room. The fabric is held into each pleat by the tension rods, making a simple, no-sew window treatment. Cheryl from New House to Home elevates inexpensive burlap fabric by folding it into deep box pleats and stapling it to a board to make an easy valance.

A stenciled monogram adds even more detail. Why allow unused space above a window to go to waste? Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl built storage/display space into the custom window treatments for her son's room. A wooden rod is hung from the shelf using rope, and the entire look is softened with grommet curtains found on clearance. These ruffled ombre curtains—stitched together in an afternoon from rescued bed sheets—add a fun, feminine charm to a little girl's room. Try switching out the pink fabric for white to add texture to any space. Cheap drapery panels can be given a high-end look with a handmade stencil and a little spray paint. If you can tie a knot, you can make these curtains. We used white chiffon to brigthen this kitchen, but any fabric will work—try tulle for a girl's bedroom or burlap in a sunroom. Custom hardware can make plain, inexpensive drapes one of a kind. Explore your local craft store to find trimmings to upgrade ordinary sheer panels.