make your own baby stuff

DIY Baby Nursery Decor:Sewing Curtains

Simple instructions for Sewing Curtains For Your DIY Nursery

Wanna create a DIY Nursery? Or simply save money on your nursery? Sewing curtains for the nursery is an easy project and a great way to spruce up your space in style and on a budget. Making your own baby curtains does not have to be the intimidating chore that it might seem. I want to share with you how super easy it is to make your own curtains. In fact, you do not even need to sew them per say, although if you have the means to sew I recommend that you do. But the fact is that fabric glue really does work quite well! But the finish is not as smooth and neat looking. And if you want to launder them... Well, I wouldn't expect the curtains to last as long. You could even use fuse-able binding tape if you wanted which is essentially a way to hem the edges using an ordinary clothes iron.

Anyway, there is no pattern needed for this super simple design for sewing curtains. And like I said, "Nope, you don't even have to sew em'."

If you are new to sewing or maybe even never tried it before, this is a perfect beginner's project. In fact most all of the projects on this website are great for beginners. And if you've never touched a sewing machine before, do not be afraid. It's easy! Borrow one from a friend just for your DIY baby nursery decor projects, or check out my ideas on how to get a sewing machine cheap or even free.

What you will need:
measuring tape
fabric
clothes iron
scissors
sewing chalk or pencil
pins

OK so here we go...

Start by getting out a tape measure and measuring the windows in your baby nursery. This is how you will come up with the amount of fabric that you must purchase for sewing curtains.

First measure the window from top to bottom. OK, write down that measurement. How long do you want the curtain to flow from the window? If there is a piece of furniture directly below the window then you will measure to just above the furniture. Otherwise I think it looks nice for the curtain to fall about a foot from the window sill or even to the floor. It is all up to your personal preference.
So add 12 1/2" to the original measurement or more or less depending on your taste. Now add about 5-6" to allow room for the top of the curtain, to create a space for the curtain rod.
Now measure the width of the window. Multiply that by two for a single full curtain. For two curtains measure the window width across and use the full width for each curtain. Now you know how much fabric you need to purchase.

make baby curtains nursery decor Go shopping! Go out and find your fabric. You could even buy your fabric online. Fabric.com has a really great selection of baby themed fabrics, and vintage children's prints.
Going shopping on foot? Check out Joann Fabrics or check your local listings for a mom and pop store or sewing store. Another great place to check for good deals is Walmart. Their craft section has a good amount of different fabrics and patterns to choose from. They usually even have a clearance section where all of the fabrics are $1.00 per yard.
It makes good sense for you to buy a little extra fabric than you might use. When buying fabric most of the time it comes in rolls of about 52" or so. You buy the fabric in yards which is 36".

Once you get home with your fabric for sewing curtains in hand, it is time to get a work station ready. Pick a space like your kitchen table or even a section of floor will work just fine. Get out a clothes iron and ironing board (If you don't have an ironing board just lay down a bath towel).You will also need some good sharp scissors, a needle and some thread (and sewing machine) unless you are going the easy way out and using fabric glue or fuseable bond. You may also need some sewing chalk or pencil and some pins.

Lay your fabric out and iron it. Lay it out flat across your work surface face side down. Get out a measuring tape and measure out the amount of fabric you need for the baby curtains. Use a ruler and sewing chalk to mark lines where you need to cut off any excess fabric. Trim the fabric down so that you have a piece of fabric that match the measurements you took earlier based on the nursery window.

We will start with the sides of the baby curtains. Start at one side corner. Fold the edge of the fabric over about 1/4 - 1/2 an inch and iron it in place. Do this all the way up the side of the fabric til you reach the top. Now very carefully fold the edge over itself again and iron the edge down flat. Pin it in place. Repeat this for the opposite side.

Get out your sewing machine. Thread your machine with a thread matching the weight and color of your chosen fabric. Remove a few pins from the edge you intend to sew, and then begin sewing the folded edge down, a little less than half an inch from the edge. Keep sewing all the way until you reach the end removing the pins as you come upon them. Be carefl not to get them stuck in the sewing head. Repeat this and sew the opposite edge as well.

Now that the edges are sewn, time to sew up the top and bottom too. Let's start with the bottom because it is easier. All you need to do really is repeat the same steps you did for both sides. Fold the bottom edge over toward the inside back of the curtain, and pin the edge down. Use your iron to carefully create a clean crease. Double the edge over again and sew the hem in place with your sewing machine. Remove the pins.

Time to sew the top part of the baby curtains. This is where the curtains will hold on to the curtain rod. First do the same as you did for all the other edges. Fold the edge over about half an inchand iron in place. Now take this edge and fold it over again. Still folding in the same direction so that it is folding in towards the inside and over itself. This time fold the fabric over to form a lip that is about 2 1/2" from the edge of the fabric. Pin it in place. Make sure it is even and straight all the way along the top of the curtain. Now sew it in place. Once the entire piece is sewn it will create a kind of tunnel in which a curtain rod can be slid through.


In some cases, if the curtains you are making are very long, you may come across a dilemma. Your fabric is not long or wide enough for sewing curtains at your desired length. If this happens you will have to sew two pieces of fabric together to make a piece long enough for sewing curtains of this size. Piece of cake! Just cut a second piece of fabric that is just the right size that when paired together, both pieces make the right measurement. Place these fabrics together face to face and pin them. Now sew them together! Open the fabrics up after sewing and lay flat. Iron the hem edges down and sew them in place as well. Start at the top and follow the rest of the instructions from there and you've got your sewing curtains for your baby nursery with large windows or maybe you've even got a bay window.

Once the baby curtains are done and you've hung them I suggest buying some wide ribbon to use to tie the curtains back when you want to let the sun in.


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