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By Jennifer Thoden
I was sick of my plain windows. I had all the right furniture in the room, but nothing on my windows.
Here's the dilemma. I am moving to Texas in a few months... so whatever I decided to make had to be versitile enough to use on the windows in the house in Texas. So, I didn't want to make something so tailored that I couldn't reuse the fabric.
I also didn't want to spend too much time on this project. After all, I'm only going to be in the house for a couple more months.
What I came up with was simple, but beautiful drapes that were super easy to make. And I'm going to show you how!
I made a total of 8 panels... 2 per window. I averaged 2 Panels a night. So, you could easily dress up a window in a day.
The rods cost me $25 each... totaling $100.
The fabric on sale cost me about $300.
I was able to give my room softness, drama, color and a designers touch for less than $500. These would have cost close to $4000 if I had a professional design and make these for me.
So, here's how to make them.
1. Install your curtain rods. Install these first and hang the rings you're going to use.
2. Measure from the bottom of the curtain ring to the floor. Subtract 1/4". This is your finished length.
3. You will use the full width of your fabric for the width of your panel.
4. Cut your fabric and lining:
Cut fabric width = full width of fabric (trim off the selfage if the fabric doesn't lay smooth and flat)
Cut fabric length = finished length + 10" (bottom hem) + 14" (heading)
Cut lining width = fabric width - 3"
Cut lining length = finished length + 4" (bottom hem) + 2"
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5. Sew the bottom hems
Fold the bottom edge of the fabric up 5" and press.... fold up another 5" and press. Pin. Sew with a blind hem stitch. You can also sew the hem in place with a straight stitch.
Fold the bottom edge of the lining up 2" and press... fold up another 2" and press. Pin. Sew with a blind hem stitch. You can also sew the hem in place with a straight stitch.
6. Sew the lining and fabric together
Lay the fabric right side up
Lay the lining right side down so that the bottom edge is 1" above the bottom edge of the fabric.
Align one side edge... pin and sew together with a 1/2" seam. Repeat on the other side.
Turn the drape right side out. Your fabric will fold over to the lining side about 1 1/2". Carefully press the drape so that the fabric is even on both sides of the lining. Pin in places to keep the layers from slipping.
7. Lay the drape lining side up
8. Fold in the raw side edges of the fabric and pin. Stitch in place with a straight stitch.
9. Tuck the raw edges of the fabric at the bottom corners of the bottom hem... and stitch the bottom corners in place.
10. Lay the drape lining side up again
11. Measure from the bottom edge up the finished length and mark with a couple pins
12. Fold the top edge down to the lining side so that the top edge is about 1" past the pins you just placed. Pin the top edge in place.
13. Stitch the top edge to the drape along the pinned measurement in step 11
14. Clip or sew the curtain rings to the drape along the stitched line
15. When you hang the drape, the fabric will fold over to the front. Arrange and fold the fabric as desired.
And there you have it! Gorgeous, professional quality drapes that can add some serious class to any room. You can make formal draperies with silk fabric and a tassel fringe along that folded over edge. Or you can have more casual drapes like the ones in the photo.
Happy sewing!
Jennifer Thoden has helped thousands of people just like you to successfully sew professional quality draperies. If you liked this "how-to" then you will love SimpleSewingProjects.com. Click here for more step by step sewing projects.
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