How to make lined curtains

How to make lined curtains by following this easy step by step curtain making guide. This is one of those really easy sewing projects that seems far more complicated than it really is. Maybe the fear of this has put you off trying to make your own curtains in the past? ....well fear no more!

This curtain is finished of with a gathered pencil pleat curtain header tape. This is a really great window treatment style to start with. You can then move on to make curtains with other designer window treatments headings after you have had chance to make your own curtains a couple of times with the easy guides on this site.

Such as pinch pleat curtains, goblet pleat curtains, tab top curtains and grommet drapes to name just a few curtain styles. So just follow the written curtain making guide just below.

(For this example we are going to use a single width of fabric in each curtain panel to keep things simple as possible.)

1. The first job is to measure how long your curtain need to be. I recommend you fit your window curtain hardware (such as a decorative curtain rod with curtain rings) before you measure for drapes. This will make it so much easier to get accurate sizes, especially if you decide on long curtains that need to be just clear of the floor.

Then take your finished curtain length and add 7 inches for hemming allowance. Now cut your curtain fabric at this length, making sure you cut your fabric square across.

2. Next on how to make lined curtains you need to cut your curtain lining fabric at one inch less than your curtain fabric. Again making sure you cut the fabric square across the width. Now we start with the "how to sew curtains" bit

3. The next step is to hem your curtain fabric. You need to turn over the bottom of your curtain panel by 2 inches. Then turn over a further 3 inches and pin down the fabric in place. Then repeat this for the bottom of your curtain lining fabric. Now you need to sew a line across the top of both curtain hems to lock them in place.

4. Now on how to make lined curtains we need to sew the lining in to the curtain. Before we do this we need to measure the full width of the curtain panel. In this example we will assume the fabric is 54 inches wide.

Now we need the lining fabric to be 3 inches narrower at 51 inches wide. So almost certainly you will need to trim a couple of inches of one side of both your curtain lining panels.

Now we are ready to sew the lining in to the curtain. Start from the bottom hems. The curtain hem should be set about 1 inch higher than the fabric panel hem. once in position and you have pinned the edges of both fabrics together. Then start to sew the lining to the curtain panel. Your sew line should be 1/2 inch from the edges of both fabrics.

When you come to lining up the edges of the fabric ready to pin in place on the other side of the curtain panel. You will need to pull the lining fabric over an in or two as the lining is now narrower than the curtain fabric panel.

Make sure you pin in the hems on the second side at the same 1 inch difference in height as you did for the other side.

5. Now on how to make lined curtains we need to turn the lined curtain panel out the right way. As the fabrics are facing in towards each other. You then lay the fabric over your table, smoothing out both fabrics. Also you need to make sure that the edges of the lined curtain panel are showing an even amount of the curtain fabric down the sides on both sides of the curtain ling fabric. This happens because the lining is narrower than the curtain panel width it is sewn to.

6. Next on how to make lined curtains we need to turn our attention to the hem end othe curtain panel. Making sure the hem of the lining fabric is sat at an even 2 inches up from the bottom of the curtain panel all the way across.

Next we need to tuck the corners of the curtain panel in at an angle that are sticking out where the two fabrics meet. This is called mitering the corners of your curtain. These are then sewn down by hand with a sewing needle. It only needs a few stitches to hold it in place.

7. Now on how to make lined curtains we turn our attention to the top of our lined curtain panel. You need to measure from the bottom of the curtain panel up to the finished length you need your curtain to be. Then fold over the surplus fabric and pin down. Repeat this across the curtain panel.

8. Now on how to make lined curtains we come to attaching the curtain header tape. In this example we are using a pencil pleat curtain tape to create a gathered heading. This will hang with curtain hooks from the rings under the decorative curtain tod.

Now we need the to cut the curtain tape 2 inches wider than our curtain panel width. this will give us an inch to tuck under on each end. Pin the header tape on to the top of the curtain panel set down about a quarter of an inch. This header tape covers where the top of the curtain is turned over.

Now you need to sew 2 lines across the curtain just on the edges of the tape. Sew both lines in the same direction to avoid the tape twisting while sewing. Then sew across the ends of the curtain tape at both ends. This helps when gathering the curtain header tape.

9. Now on how to make curtains we need to pull the three cords out the curtain tape on one end of the curtain tape. Then tie them all together in a tight knot.

Now we pull out the three cords at the other end of the curtain tape and start to pull the cords while holding the curtain tape. This will caude the tape the pleat and the curtain to gather.

We continue to gather the pencil pleat header tape until the gathered curtain is just over half the width of the curtain rod it is to hang from. Then we wrap the surplus cords around the fingers of one hand and tie off in a bundle.

Repeat this for your other curtain panel, only pull the cords out from the opposite side of the header tape. The bundled cords should hang to the outside edges of your window treatment.

Next we insert curtain hooks in to the small pockets on the back of the curtain tape. These are spaced every 6 to 8 pockets betwen hooks, one for every curtain ring.

9. Finally on how to make lined curtains we just need to hang our new curtains from the rings under the decrative curtain rod using the hooks in the back of the curtain tape. Then pleat the curtains into 4 or 5 pleats starting at the bottom of the curtain panels and working the pleats in to shape as we go up the panel.

Sometimes it helps to tie bands around the newly hung curtains to help train them in to their pleats. A few days like this works wonders in most cases. There are plenty more simple window treatments you try your hand at on this site now you know how to make drapes for yourself.

If you found this curtain making guide useful. Then please pass it along to your friends and family on social forums and blogs. Even better if you really liked it then link back to this article. So others can find out how to make swag curtains for themselves.

About Lee

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