Hey everyone. Today you will learn how to sew a simple pair of curtains that softens a whole room.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric first
This fabric is Alida Marsh Havens QC Cotton, from Cloud9 Fabrics.
It comes from the Marsh Havens collection. Amy MacCready is the designer.
It is a quilting cotton. We call that QC cotton around here.
It measures 44"/45" wide. It is sold by the yard.
That width is really, really handy for curtains, y'all. One width makes one nice panel. No piecing down the middle. No seam where you do not want one.
Quilting cotton is a good curtain weight, too. It is light enough to hang soft. It is sturdy enough to hold a hem. And it presses crisp, which matters a lot here.
The project: a pair of curtains
We are not reinventing the wheel here. This is a classic rod-pocket pair.
Two panels. Straight side hems. A deep bottom hem for weight. A simple casing at the top for your rod.
Finished, each panel will measure about 42 inches wide and 72 inches long. That is a friendly size for a bedroom or sewing room window. Shorter or longer is completely up to you.
Why does this fabric suit it? A curtain is mostly flat sewing. It wants fabric that cuts square, folds clean, and does not fight the iron. This quilting cotton does all three. And that full panel gives the Alida print room to show, top to bottom, without busy seams breaking it up.
Materials list
- 4 1/2 yards of Alida Marsh Havens QC Cotton, 44"/45" wide, for two panels at 72 inches long
- All-purpose sewing thread in a soft neutral that blends with the fabric
- A size 80/12 needle for the quilting cotton
- A curtain rod and brackets, already hung, plus a tape measure
- Pins or clips, a rotary cutter, a long ruler, and a mat
- An iron and a pressing surface
Here is the cutting math. Cut two panels, each the full 44-inch width by 78 inches long. That 78 inches gives you 72 inches finished, plus 3 inches for the top casing and 3 inches for the bottom hem.
Brief steps to make them
Step one. Measure first, folks. Measure the window width and the drop from rod to sill or floor. Write your numbers down before you cut a thing.
Step two. Press your fabric well. Square one end. Cut your two panels at 44 by 78 inches. Keep them together so they match in length.
Step three. Hem the sides. Fold each long edge under 1/2 inch, then another 1/2 inch, and press. Stitch close to the inner fold. Do both sides on both panels.
Slow down on those long side hems. They are easy to rush. Rush them and the stitching wanders. Nice and steady wins here.
Step four. Hem the bottom. Fold under 1 inch, then another 2 inches, and press well. Stitch close to the top of that fold. That deeper hem helps the panel hang straight.
Step five. Make the top casing. Fold the top under 1/2 inch, then another 2 1/2 inches, and press. Stitch close to the lower fold, backstitching at both ends. Leave the short ends open for the rod.
Step six. Slide the rod through both casings. Hang them up. Spread the gathers out even with your hands. Step back and take a good look.
Just like that, you have curtains. Super duper simple, and the room feels different right away.
Practical tips from my sewing room
Set your stitch length to about 2.5, roughly 10 stitches per inch, for the hems. Go a touch longer, about 3.0, if you topstitch and want a softer line.
Press every fold before you stitch it. I learned that one the hard way. I skipped pressing a casing once. It twisted a little, the rod fought me, and I unpicked the whole top. Pressed it flat, stitched it again, and it slid on easy. Lesson learned.
Check both panels side by side before the final hem. A small difference is easy to fix now.
That is your permission beat, folks. It does not have to be perfect. You are your own worst critic. If a hem is a tiny bit wavy, nobody walking into that room will ever know. Take your time. It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Straight lines, a good press, and a little patience. That is the whole project.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Alida Marsh Havens QC Cotton 44”/45” Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
