Some Stuff About
Easy Curtain Ideas

Hi All!

I'm Lee Stevens and what I want to do is to give you a site that answers most if not all the questions you wanted to ask about designing, making and hanging curtains.

Mostly though, I really hope I can give you that gentle push you need to start making and hanging your own curtains, if you're a complete novice to the subject. Or maybe you've not made window treatments for a long time and you're thinking of starting again - but don't know exactly where to start for the best success.

I've made notes of the most common questions people ask me - time and again.

Believe me, the same questions keep coming up, again and again.

If you're having a problem with your window treatments then please just ask me your curtain question here.

We will take a look at all kinds of areas that will help you to build your skills and build your confidence quickly of designing, making and hanging your own curtains.

I really do believe almost anyone can create their own beautiful window treatments. Really all anyone needs are a some useful time saving tips and straight to the point advice.

There is a lot of nonsense people say about how hard it is to make your own curtains. How you need to have lots of experience as well as all the right kinds of equipment to get a top notch finish.

Don't listen to them!

Discovering how to make curtains is all about using whatever tools you already have (I use a large spirit level as a ruler). you can borrow some of the stuff you don't have in the beginning. Then simply follow the step by step curtain making acticles and videos on this website.

The truth is that all you need to get started with discovering how to make curtains and hang them properly, is a straight edge or ruler, a pair of sharp scissors, pencil and a needle and thread at the outset. (For some easy no sew curtain making projects, you won't even need the needle and thread)

Keeping everything to simple step by step guides helps with building your confidence that much quicker. You will see the results of your curtain project so much faster following a guide. This will make you even more motivated to finish your sewing projects.

making and hanging curtains successfully is about being positive and persevering, and taking your time and not rushing to finish. You are not in a race :-)

If even after reading this you really don't feel either confident enough to make your own custom curtains. Or prhaps you just don't have the time or inclination. Then if you live in the UK, I can make your made to measure curtains for you.

Click here to find out how much it would cost to get some new made to measure curtains

A Bit About How I Got started

My beginning in the window treatments business was more accident than design. I did not plan to get started with designing, making or hanging curtains. One thing led to another and 20 years later here I am.

I have always enjoyed working with my hands, especially doing renovations of all kinds on my own home.

I have hung curtains in many places such as hotels, hospitals, nursing homes and every shape and size of home. I have installed curtains in basement apartments all the way up to an apartment on the 33rd floor.

I'm largely self-taught, mostly by watching others and studying other peoples work. Then incorporating the best in to my own work. Another really big way I have learned my trade is by making a lot of mistakes. Looking back I can't believe some of the things I have done.

However I have always corrected my mistakes, even when it cost me time and money...

Quite a few folks over the years have said to me that they would love to be able to make their own curtains. I always tell them that it really is not as hard as they think. It really is just about following a step by step guide from start to finish. Also having the right tools in place before you begin.

I recommend people use surplus fabric of any kind, anything cheap to start with. Just practice with this fabric and get a feel for what needs to be done. You will then know which areas you need to improve on before you start for real. You can always unpick bits that don't go right first time and try again.

There are many times when the only option is to make your own curtains. This is true when dressing very large windows. Either very tall or very wide windows. You just can't buy ready made curtains to fit windows above a certain size. Again I recommend you practice making a smaller pair of curtains first. Then if you're happy just scale up the size.

Another big area that people have (including me from time to time) problems with is hanging curtains. That is getting them to stay fixed to the wall. This is especially true for heavy window treatments. Heavy lined curtains, big heavy decorative curtain rods.

This is where you need to be practical. The quality of the wall will always determine how much weight it will support.

There are some really good wall fixings you can use today. However they have their limits especially when fixing to drywall. We joke in this business about using "fog fixings" when a customer asks about using something better to secure the window treatment hardware.

In a perfect world the best plan when fixing to drywalls is to locate the timber joists and fix directly to them. However in the real world the timber joists are never where you need them to be. There are ways to get around this problem that are discussed on the page dealing with window curtain hardware, so i won't bore you with the details now.

You can find a few websites that deal with making curtains, but that's where most stop. On this webiste I talk about the whole process of making curtains from the cutting of fabric. All the way to the hanging and dressing of your new curtains. This helps you not only make but actually get them up over your windows.

Anyway, let's that's about all for now!

You've now some stuff about me and my what I'm thinking on window treatments. I could ramble on forever about this kind of thing.

I hope this has lit that spark in you to start having a go for yourself today :-)

All the best,