Want to make a custom window covering – without a sewing machine? Here’s a tutorial on how to make a no sew window curtain!
So, I already mentioned that I am NOT an artist, but I still love to paint. I am also NOT a seamstress. I have a sewing machine but feel like every time I use it is a battle.
I can hand sew enough to do my own hemming and mending, but I really find anything more than that to be more trouble than it’s worth.
Do you use a sewing machine? Any tips for a newbie like me?
So, you might notice a lot of my projects are hot glue heavy. However, I’ve gotten really sick of staring at my narrow but blank kitchen window and sadly could not come up with an idea to hot glue it beautiful (every idea I had was looking really wonky.)
After a little Googling, I discovered something awesome- an ironing alternative to sewing! I literally leaped to my car to gather my supplies from Wally World!
I actually found the seam iron tape in the Clearance bin in the craft section for $1.50 for a huge pack of it. This project used about 1/4 of the roll.
I knew I wanted to make the no sew valance from the left over Lilly Pulitzer fabric from my barstools. Lilly fabric is beautiful, but super thin and see-thru (great for sundresses on a hot Charleston day- not so great for curtains.)
So, I picked up a twin flat sheet from Walmart in a bright accent color from the fabric.
I cut the sheet to the same size as the Lilly scrap and then ironed both pieces to get rid of the creases.
I then went to iron a hem on each of the four sides. I first folded over the two pieces of fabric and ironed the crease. This will hide the frayed edge. I then folded the edge over a second time and ironed that crease as well.
I cut a piece of the hemming tape and put it underneath the fold. You have to lay a damp rag over the edge and place the iron on it for 10 seconds, twice for each six inch “area” that the iron could cover at once. This takes forever to go all the way around, but in the end patience makes perfect.
After I finished the fabric, I added simple cafe clip hooks to the top seam. They are rings with hooks that you just squeeze to open up.
Walmart also had fancy curtain rings with little tiny hooks (like clothespins) for hooking to the fabric but those were $8 for a pack while the cafe hooks were $2… I think you know which one I chose.
Note on Cafe Hooks- the comment on the Walmart web site makes it sound like it was a feat of strength to pry them open.
It took me a few minutes to figure it out too but you have to squeeze the round circle, not pry the “teeth” apart- I had no problem once I did this.
So I clipped on hooks about every 2 inches and the curtain was done.I got the most cheapo curtain rod I could find and- of course- spray painted it navy blue. A few snaps into the wall and voila!
Yield: 1 curtain
How to make no sew curtains
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated Cost: $10-50
Here's how easy it is to make no sew window curtains!
Materials
- Seam iron tape
- 2 types of fabric - main fabric and lining
Tools
- Iron
- Scissors
Instructions
- Cut both pieces of fabric to be the same size - the desired finished size plus 1" on each side for the seams.
- Iron the fabric to remove creases.
- Fold over the edge 1/2" and iron in place.
- Fold over again, to hide the frayed edge, and iron. This should be 1" total folded over now (2 1/2" sections).
- Cut the hem tape to fit the length of the side. Place under the folds, lay a damp rag over top, and iron on top of the rag. Move section by section until it is adhered. Re wet the cloth as needed.
- Repeat for all 4 sides of the curtain.
- Add clip hooks and hang!
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Really livens up the place, don’t you think?
Have you done any no-sew projects lately? Do you make your own window treatments? I’d love to hear!
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