If you’re a first-time home-owner turned curtain-maker, the pastime can prove to be quite a learning experience. However, with these three tips, you should be able to avoid at least a few of the major mistakes on your first attempt at making your own curtains.

Measurements are crucial

Measurements are crucial for any DIY project, and curtains aren’t an exception. There’s a certain degree of flexibility, of course, however it’s best not to stretch that flexibility any more than necessary. A few factors to keep in mind when measuring fabric for curtains include:

• Keep the dimensions of the window and the purpose of the curtains in mind while shopping for fabric
• Add an extra 30cm to the length or drop of the curtain (from the rod to the bottom hem) when measuring the amount of fabric you’ll need
• If there are to be folds and/or pleats, the usual rule is to multiply the width of the window by 3 when ordering the fabric

Choice of fabric: cheap or expensive?

Even if you have a little prior sewing experience, we’d advise against buying very cheap fabric as it can be harder to work with than more expensive options. However, if this is your very first time, you may not want to order luxury silk just yet! Pure cotton is a mid-range textile that offers ample opportunity to experiment your initial tailoring skills on, while thick polyester offers excellent insulation during those cold, winter months. Then of course, there’s corduroy which deserves its own discussion, because of the material’s distinct texture that sets it apart from everything else.

Cheap, medium-range and premium options are all available and ready to ship internationally through reputable suppliers like the Yorkshire Fabric Shop who have a fabric finder to help you choose the right material for your project. Instead of randomly picking what you like without the necessary knowledge, we suggest a prior consultation with the experts to arrive at a more suitable choice. They can help steer you in the right direction to ensure you don’t buy the wrong thing.

Go with close-weaves

As a final tip, it’s suggested that beginners avoid material with an obvious motif or decoration that requires perfect pattern matching because that’s not a job for an inexperienced sewer, by any means. Making mistakes on the front will be difficult and time-consuming to put right – if not downright impossible. Plain and closely woven fabrics, on the other hand, are much more beginner-friendly and won’t end up looking like an amateur job.

Setting aside the learning curve and some of the inevitable beginner’s mistakes, rest assured that making curtains can be a very rewarding experience. Not only will you be able to create exactly what you want to complement your décor, but they’ll always be hanging around, receiving regular admiration from guests. It’s also an excellent way to market a new business, should you choose to go professional with the curtain-making idea at a later date. Happy sewing!

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