DIY Custom Window Treatments

Don't throw out those old sheets, comforters, and fabrics just yet! You can use this as fabric for your own custom window treatments! Before you start making any of your window treatments, you should look at your situation and think about your needs and desires. Do you want to darken your room or do you want to lighten it? Would you like to possibly save on your A/C bill during the summer by using darker fabrics? Dark and heavy materials can block out a lot of heat, sun, and even cold. On the contrary, lighter materials allow more sunlight to enter your home. If you have some unused bed sheets with lighthouse or palm tree patterns, they could be used as fun and unique curtains for your beach cottage or kid's room. If you have a college or sports team throw that is sitting on a top shelf in your closet, you can bring that out and use it as curtain material! Look at all the materials and fabrics you have and be creative.

Here is my simple guide to transform your unused fabrics or bed linens into simple, yet beautiful curtains for your home.

Materials Needed:

Fabric/Material

Scissors

Tape Measurer/Ruler

Sewing Kit / Sewing Machine & Thread that matches your fabric color

Step 1: Clean the fabric so it doesn't smell like it's been in a closet for years or so it doesn't smell like it's been used as a doggie bed.

Step 2: Measure your window and figure out how long you want the curtains to fall. Do you want it to cover your entire window, serve as a valance, fall to the floor, or only come down to cover half the window? Use pins to mark your measurements. If you want your curtains to be gathered at all, take the width and multiply it by at least 2. In addition, add 1 inch to the length and at least 4 inches to the height as hems and the rod pocket. Hold the marked/pinned curtains up to the window to see if they cover the window in all the right places. Make sure the curtains will cover any sides or tops, depending on your windows and rods.

Step 3: Once you are happy and confident with your measurements, cut the fabric.

Step 4: Bring out your sewing kit or sewing machine and sew up that bottom hem.

Step 5: Now that the fabric is the right size and has its bottom hem, you are going to have to make a way for the curtain to fit on the curtain rods. Using your sewing kit, sew your top hem so that you have a big enough pocket for your curtain rod to slide through. To be extra sure you are sewing a big enough area, use pins as a temporary hem and hang the curtains on the rod. This will also help you decide if you want less of a pocket.

Step 6: When you have the pocket finished, you are done! Hang up your new curtains and pat yourself on the back!