It's always fun when you get to try a technique that you haven't done before and it totally works just how you hoped it would. Of course with DIY projects, they don't always work perfectly right away, so it's a big relief (and time saver) when it all goes smoothly the first time. We needed a curtain option for our small studio bathroom, and I decided that this would be a great opportnity to try out a no-sew curtain technique using fusible fabric tape. As you would imagine, we have a lot of things on our to-do list, so I wanted a project that was a quick and easy answer to our curtain problem. Supplies:-cotton fabric (I chose a swiss dot fabric for the curtains so they would let in a lot of light but still provide privacy)-fusible fabric tape -measuring tape-fabric scissors-iron-curtain rod and curtain clip rings-thin cotton dish towel First you'll want to measure the window that you'll be covering. As a general rule, you want your curtains to be 1 1/2 times wider than the window itself so it will still have some folds in the fabric when the curtains are closed.

If you choose a sheer fabric like I did, you can add a few extra inches to the width in order to get more opacity through the extra folds.I made curtains with two panels, so once I measured the width and height, I added an extra 2" to the height (1" for the top hem and 1" for the bottom hem) and an extra 4" to the width (each of the two panels also have a 1" hem on each side). Shower Curtains Walmart StoresOnce you figure out your dimensions, cut your fabric to your specifications and cut your fabric down the middle if making two panels.Used Macbook Pro Michigan Once your panels are cut, fold the right side of your fabric towards the back and pin and press a 1" seam down the sides of each panel.S Fold Curtains Remove the pins and cut a piece of fabric fusion tape the length of your panel.

Lift up your pressed fold and place the piece of tape under the fold between the two fabrics. Place a damp thin cotton towel on top of your fold and place your iron on the fold, holding in place for 10 seconds. Our fusible tape instructions said to set the iron on the "wool" setting, so check your particular tape for specific tips. Continue to work your way down the fold, pressing your fold for 10 seconds in each spot, and move/dampen the towel as needed until the whole fold is pressed. Flip your fabric and repeat process on the other side of the fold. Repeat process with the other three sides of the panels. Once the sides are complete, fold, pin, and press another 1" hem on the top and bottom of each panel. Remove the pins and repeat the fusible tape process on the tops and bottoms. After your hemming is complete, install your curtain rod and clip the top of your curtain panels to the clip rings. I think the swiss dot fabric was the perfect choice for the space, and the ease of the no-sew technique totally lived up to the hype.

Easy and cute—always a good project combination! LauraCredits// Author: Laura Gummerman, Photography: Laura Gummerman and Sarah Rhodes. Photos edited with Stella from the Signature Collection.CraftsSewingHow to Make Casement Curtains How to Make Casement Curtains Casement curtains attach to the window sash. This two-panel treatment works for windows that open in the middle and swing outward, but you can also use one panel of this style for a glass-paneled door. This project attaches at the top and bottom so you’ll need to create two rod pockets and use two rods. The best fabric choice for these types of curtains is a sheer fabric, such as a thin cotton like voile or batiste. The gathers formed by the fabric allow in light, yet still provide privacy — the more gathers, the less light. To use this treatment on casement windows, carefully measure your window’s interior sash area. Make sure your window is deep enough to allow for the mounting of a sash rod. (A sash rod is a thin, no-show, inside-mount rod.)

If you’re covering the glass area of a French door, attach thin cafe rods on the wood of the door, above and below the glass area, before you start, and then measure the distance in between to determine length. (A cafe rod is a slim decorative outside-mount rod, with finials.) To determine your width measurement, add 4 inches to your window sash width measurement to account for the seam allowances on each side of the two panels. For your length, add 4 inches to the length (doing so accounts for the rod sleeve at both the top and bottom). For a casement window measuring 30 x 60 inches, cut two panels to each measure 17 (include an inch on each side for the seam allowance) x 64 inches. If you want a flat, ungathered panel, this amount of fabric is enough. If you want a more gathered look (which gives more privacy), multiply your width by 1-1/2. To create your casement curtains, follow these easy steps: Cut your fabric into panels, using the measurements you’ve determined for your window.

Hem your panels, using a 1-inch seam allowance and employing the fold-and-fold method of creating a hem. Fold the top and bottom of each panel back 1/2 inch and press with a hot iron. Fold the top and bottom back another 1-1/2 inches and press with a hot iron. Stitch along the top and bottom to create a rod sleeve. Slide your sash or cafe rod through each sleeve and hang. DIY Tutorial: Sew Curtains Fast and Easy! If you haven’t done a whole lot of sewing, you should sew curtains. It’s one of the easiest home décor projects, and it’s a great way to use up some extra fabric you’ve got lying around! I whipped up a cute café style curtain for our bathroom recently, and was pretty amazed at how fast and easy the project came together. A piece of fabric large enough to cover your window (plus a few inches on each side) A café curtain rod How to Sew Curtains: Install your curtain rod at the height you’d like per manufacturer’s instructions.

Draw a rectangle on your scrap paper to represent your window. This’ll be your rough road map to curtain cuteness. Measure your actual window, and write the dimensions on each side of the window sketch. Next, figure out how full you’d like your curtain to be. If you want something straight up and down, don’t add any extra to the width measurement yet. I added 3” to my width at this point so my café curtain would have just a little bit of oomph to it. Now you’ll need to add 1/2 “ to each side of the fabric for finishing the edges. At this point, you should have a new width that’s the width of window + fullness if desired + 1” total for finishing. Next, figure out how long you’d like your curtain to be.  Measure from the bottom of your curtain rod to where the curtain will end. Add 2” to the top of that measurement for the loop the curtain rod will go through, and add 2” to the bottom of that measurement for finishing the bottom edge. Write that number down on your sketch.

Notice how we haven’t even touched the sewing machine yet? Measure twice and cut once, my friend. Now go back and double check all of your measurements and make sure they’re correct! Cut your fabric to size. If you think you might get confused which way is up, pick a spot that’s inconspicuous on the wrong side of the fabric, and mark it with a pen where the top is. Fold over the left and right edges ¼”, and fold them over again ¼”. Pin em in place. Press with an iron to get a nice crisp edge, and sew shut all the way from the top to bottom. Next, fold over the top 1/2”, and again 1.5”. Before pressing, double check that your curtain rod will pass through the large tunnel of fabric you’re creating at the top of the curtain. If it fits, you’re good to go. Press the folds, and sew along the fold that’s furthest away from the top of the curtain. (You want to make sure you’re not sewing that tunnel of fabric shut!) Now hang your almost-finished curtain on the curtain rod in the window.