Hey everyone! Today you are going to learn how to sew a cheerful pair of curtains with one wide, playful fabric.
Meet the fabric
This one is the Blue/Pink Bubble Bath Cosmetics Cotton Wideback 118" Fabric Per Yard.
It comes from PBS Fabrics.
It was made by Paintbrush Studio Fabrics.
The width of fabric is 116/118 inches.
That is extra wide, folks.
The fiber type is 100% cotton.
The tags describe it as a cotton sateen.
It is sold as a wide backing fabric.
But nobody said backing only, y'all.
The print is the Bubble Bath cosmetics theme.
The tags call out lipstick and nail polish.
They also list hair brushes and makeup brushes.
The colors in the name are blue and pink.
It is a sweet, get-ready-with-me kind of print.
The product notes call it a lightweight quilting cotton.
It tends to hold its shape after washing.
That makes it great for quilting and structured crafts.
It carries an OEKO-TEX certified tag too.
And it is sold by the yard.
Why it suits a pair of curtains
A curtain panel is mostly one big rectangle.
It hangs at a window for privacy and softness.
This wideback suits curtains in a big way.
One width gives you a full panel.
No piecing narrow cuts side by side.
No seam line running down your window.
The cosmetics print reads fun from across the room.
Think bathroom window or a dressing area.
The cotton holds a hem nice and crisp.
I am making a pair for one window today.
My window is 48 inches wide.
My finished length is 63 inches.
Each finished panel will be about 60 inches wide.
Two panels give me 120 inches of fullness.
Nice soft folds, nothing skimpy looking.
Measure your own window before you cut.
Completely up to you on length and fullness.
Materials list
- Blue/Pink Bubble Bath Cosmetics Cotton Wideback 118" Fabric Per Yard — 4 yards, giving two 70-inch lengths with width to trim
- Thread — 50-weight cotton in a soft pink or blue
- A fresh needle — 80/12 universal or quilting
- Rotary cutter, long ruler, and a big mat, or sharp fabric scissors
- Pins or clips — clips are gentle on sateen
- An iron and board — pressing does half this job
- A curtain rod and brackets, already hung
- A measuring tape and a step stool
Brief steps
First, prewash and press your fabric well.
Then square up one end good and straight.
Cut two lengths, each 70 inches long.
That leaves room for the top and bottom hems.
Trim each panel to 62 inches wide.
Save those trimmings for tiebacks later.
Here we go with the side hems.
Fold each long edge in 1/2 inch, press.
Fold in another 1/2 inch and press again.
Stitch close to the inner fold.
Use a 2.5 millimeter stitch length.
That gives you a finished 60-inch panel width.
Now the bottom hem.
Fold up 1 inch, press, then 2 more inches.
Stitch across, close to the top fold.
Now the top, where the rod pocket goes.
Fold down 1/2 inch and press it.
Then fold down 3 inches and press again.
Stitch along the bottom edge of that fold.
That makes a 3-inch rod pocket.
Add a second stitching line 1 inch down.
That little ruffle on top is super duper cute.
Completely up to you, like always.
Slide both panels onto your rod.
Step back and check both hems hang level.
Practical tips from my sewing table
Press every fold before you stitch it.
Really really good pressing makes straight stitching easy.
We're not reinventing the wheel here.
These panels are rectangles and patience.
Slow down when you stitch the rod pocket corners.
Slow down there, or the needle can balk at layers.
Check your print direction before you cut.
Lipstick tubes standing upside down happen, folks.
Ask me how I know. Oh my goodness.
I caught mine before stitching, thank goodness.
Just flip the panel and re-pin it right.
Hang the panels for a day before final hemming.
Cotton can relax a little on the rod.
Then mark that bottom hem while they hang.
Here is the permission part.
It does not have to be perfect.
You are your own worst critic.
Nobody visits and measures your curtain hems.
Take your time. It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Make one pair for the bathroom window.
Then use the scraps for tiebacks. Alrighty.
Thank you so much for sewing along with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Blue/Pink Bubble Bath Cosmetics Cotton Wideback 118" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
