HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

Sunday, June 3, 2012

EASY CAFE CURTAINS

For my kitchen! 
Lets the light in, but keeps the peepers at bay.

STEP ONE:
Cut your fabric to size. 
How to figure out the amount fabric you need for curtains::  A. Measure your window.  B.  Take the length you want your finished curtain to be, and add about 6".  I added 3" for the top rod pocket and 3" for a hem, but do whatever feels and looks right!  C.  Take the width of your window and multiply it by 1.5 - 2.5 depending on how much fullness you want your curtain to have (you are kind of at the mercy of the width of the fabric you've chosen, most fabrics come either 45" wide or 54" wide.   Two panels is always a good option to add fullness for wider windows.)


STEP TWO:
Press (iron) the raw edges of the top and bottom hems in about 1/2" or so, just to hide the raw edge since we won't be lining these curtains.  Now is a good time to press the side seams (selvages) of your curtain to the back too.
STEP THREE:
Press your hem up 2 1/2" on the top and bottom (I had left 3" for hem allowance, and already pressed the raw edge up 1/2" in step two.  2 1/2" + 1/2" = 3" of hem allowance.)

**full disclosure, you can see I pressed mine up a full 3" - they're cafe curtains so I had some fudge room, don't stress out...**

STEP FOUR:
First, stitch down your side seams, then stitch your hem on the top and bottom.  Stitch as close to the inside fold as you can get. 
And they're ready to hang!