Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to sew a pair of full-length curtains, each panel finished at about 54 by 84 inches.
The fabric is the Black Monochromatic Peony print. It's from the Peony Paradise collection. It's by Henry Glass. The collection is designed by Color Principle. It's 100% cotton. And here's the headline, y'all. It runs 116 to 118 inches wide.
This fabric is sold as a quilt back. That's its product type. Widebacks give you one big, seamless piece of cotton. No piecing narrow widths together. For curtains, that width is a gift. One cut across the fabric gives you both panels. Just like that.
The design is floral. Big peonies bloom across a black ground. The monochromatic palette keeps it calm and tonal. It reads elegant, not busy. The black makes the peonies feel dramatic. And peonies never need watering. Coolio.
The project: a pair of curtains
A curtain panel is mostly straight seams and good pressing. That's honest beginner sewing. You measure, you cut big rectangles, and you hem. The fabric does the showing off. Your job is just neat edges.
Why does this wideback suit curtains so well? Width, width, width. A standard 43-inch cotton forces a seam down every panel. Here, each 54-inch panel comes from a single width. No center seam interrupts the peonies. The print flows across the whole window. Super duper pretty.
One more thing. Cotton hangs with a soft, natural drape. It presses crisp hems, too. These panels will filter light, not block it. Want a darker room? Add a separate lining behind them. Completely up to you.
What you'll need
- 3 yards of this Black Monochromatic Peony wideback for two panels
- A curtain rod that spans your window, plus brackets
- Matching all-purpose thread
- An 80/12 universal needle in your machine
- A long ruler or tape measure, pins or clips, and scissors or a rotary cutter
- Optional: clip rings, if you'd rather clip than sew a rod pocket
Here's the math, so you can check me. Each panel gets cut 56 inches wide. Two panels side by side use 112 inches. That fits inside the 116 to 118-inch width. Each panel gets cut 94 inches long. That covers the 84-inch finished length. It also leaves room for the hems. One 3-yard cut gives you everything. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Brief steps
First, measure your window and your rod. Hang the rod before you cut. Your finished length starts at the rod. My 84-inch panels suit a standard doorway-height window. Adjust your numbers to your own window.
Second, press the fabric well. Square up one long edge. Then cut your length at 94 inches. Split that piece into two panels, 56 inches wide each. Keep the peony layout similar on both. A matched pair looks really really nice.
Third, sew the side hems. Fold each long edge in 1/2 inch. Press. Fold in another 1/2 inch. Stitch close to the fold. Use a 2.5 to 3 millimeter stitch length. That's about 8 to 10 stitches per inch.
Fourth, make the top casing. Fold the top edge down 1/2 inch. Press. Then fold down 3 more inches. Stitch along the lower fold. That channel slides right onto your rod. Leave the ends open, now. No rod fits through a closed pocket. Ask me how I know.
Fifth, hem the bottom last. Hang both panels first. Let them settle overnight. Then mark your length right at the sill or floor. Fold the bottom up 1/2 inch, then 3 inches. Stitch it down. Hanging first saves you from a too-short panel. Slow down here or the hem wanders wavy.
Practical tips
Press every fold before you stitch it. Pressing is half of curtain making, folks. A crisp fold guides your stitching straight. It also makes wide cotton behave on the machine.
Feed this wide fabric with both hands. Support the panel's weight on your table. A heavy panel dragging off the edge pulls your seams crooked. Rest it in your lap if you need to. No shame in that at all.
And here's your permission beat. It does not have to be perfect. One peony may sit higher on the left panel. Nobody will measure your hems but you. You're your own worst critic. Take your time. It's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Thank y'all so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Black Monochromatic Peony 118" Peony Paradise Cotton Wideback Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
