Curtains, curtains, curtains. (Part 1)

If you’ve ever rented, you know that one of the major disadvantages is the inability to truly decorate.  Some places let you paint the walls, but that can be more money and time than it’s worth because you just have to repaint before you move out.  So with a no-go on the painting, I had to find other alternatives.  The solution: curtains.  I went curtain crazy.  Which brings us to the post.  The first installment, with two more to follow.

I had three sets of windows that I wanted to make curtains for.  There was one window that took precedence over the others…

As you can see, that’s our bathroom window.  I can’t imagine why anyone would have an entirely transparent window in the shower of all places.  So, we made a desperate fix.

So I took measurements and embarked on a journey for the perfect fabric (which always takes me forever, but I was happy with what I found).  Of the three sets of curtains, this one is definitely the simplest (but there is definitely beauty in the simplicity).

Step One.

Cut out fabric strips for the curtain loops.  These can be whatever size you want, I decided to go for a skinny/narrow loops.  So my strips started at 4” by 8”.  I cut out 8 strips.

Step Two.

Place the fabric right side down on an ironing board.  Fold the fabric in half (see step 2).  Iron fabric and pin in place.

Step Three.

Sew along the edge opposite the fold to create the loops.

Step Four.

Turn the loops “inside out” so that the right side of the fabric is on the outside.

Step Five.

Iron the strips flat.  Then, iron them in half (see picture below). 

Step Six. 

Depending on your window size, determine the measurements of your curtain panels.  I decided on two panels, at 20” x 22”.  So I cut out fabric panels at 21” x 23” to allow for a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Hem the panels accordingly.

Step Eight.

Sew the loops onto the panels.  I decided on a zig-zag threading just to make sure that the loops were extremely secure.  I am an extremely novice sewer, so the lines ended up a little funny, but I don’t mind the odd quirks in projects.

Step Nine.

Slip the curtains onto a rod, hang them up, and done!