Sewing kitchen curtains is one of those projects many new homeowners tackle immediately. It makes perfect sense. Who doesn't want their curtains to match their new dishes or the new paint job?
Window treatments such as drapes are generally used in other rooms of the house while simple cotton curtains are reserved for the kitchen area. For this project we will create a beautiful cotton valance.
The best tip a beginner can learn is to always use the forward and reverse method when beginning and ending a stitch. By doing this the thread is secured and cannot unravel.
How to Sew Kitchen Curtains
Materials You Will Need:
Curtain rings (optional)
1 curtain rod
Fabric
Sewing machine
Thread
Tape measure
Straight pins
Newspaper (to make a pattern, if needed)
Once you have decided on the fabric, make sure you purchase enough. To know how much you'll need, you first need to know the dimensions of your window.
Sewing a Valance
Try to keep the valance to within about 12 inches in length. If you have chosen a fabric that has a picture running along the bottom, you'll want to make sure the entire scene is visible on the valance. Therefore, do not choose a scene that is taller than about one foot. And remember, if you are expecting to buy a shorter piece or fabric and cut it in half to make one long valance, there are other considerations that will come up. For instance, if there is a pattern on the fabric it may be hard or impossible to match up the pattern again if you cut the fabric to make two pieces.
Measure the length of the window and add an additional two thirds of the length to the pattern. In other words, if your window is 36 inches from the edge of one window casing to the edge of the other, you'll want to add an additional 24 inches to the length of the material, or a total of about one and two-thirds of a yard.
Regardless of the length of the valance, you will also need a one-inch hem allowance and about four inches of allowance at the top so that you can make a casing to push the curtain rod into. To make sure you have enough fabric for the valance, assume you will need a piece of material that is about 20 by 60 inches.
Directions:
Wash and iron the fabric.
Measure the pattern and cut it out.
Fold over the raw edges on all four sides by one half inch; iron or use a glue stick to secure it while you continue working.
Fold the ironed edge down again and pin it in place.
Using a sewing machine, sew the folded side down, staying about one fourth of an inch from the edge of the seam as you sew. Do this for both sides, making sure to use the reverse and forward method to ensure the thread does not unravel.
Do the same for the raw edges at the top of the valance and set aside.
The bottom and sides of the valance are now complete.
The only thing left to do is to make a casing on the top of the valance so that you can slide the curtain rod inside. To do this you simply turn the top edge down two inches and pin it in place. Once you are sure that the curtains will be the correct length, sew the seam straight across the top of the curtain. Two inches will give a standard curtain rod enough space while at the same time crowding the fabric so that it bunches and gathers nicely over the window. (Measure your curtain rod before you finalize this step. Not all curtain rods are the same thickness.)
Carefully push the curtain rod into the casing and hang the valance in place. Adjust the curtain so that it is gathered evenly across the window.
