How to Make Curtains: A Window Into the Art of Home Sewing

I've been making curtains for nearly two decades now, and I still remember the disaster of my first attempt. The fabric was crooked, the hem looked like a drunk snake had sewn it, and somehow I'd managed to make curtains that were both too short AND too wide. But that catastrophe taught me something valuable: curtain-making isn't just about following instructions—it's about understanding fabric behavior, spatial relationships, and the peculiar physics of hanging cloth.

The Fabric Selection Dance

Choosing fabric for curtains feels a bit like matchmaking. You're trying to find the perfect partner for your windows, and compatibility matters more than you'd think. I learned this the hard way when I hung beautiful silk curtains in my south-facing kitchen. Within six months, they'd faded to a sad, streaky beige that reminded me of old dishwater.

Light plays the starring role in this decision. Heavy fabrics like velvet or thick cotton duck will block light effectively, but they also trap heat—something I discovered during a sweltering August when my bedroom felt like a furnace. Lighter linens and cottons breathe better but offer about as much privacy as a fishbowl. The sweet spot? Medium-weight cotton blends or polyester-cotton mixes that balance all these concerns without breaking your budget.

Here's something fabric stores won't tell you: always buy at least 10% more fabric than you calculate. Fabric has this annoying habit of shrinking, fraying, or revealing flaws just when you're about to cut that final piece. Plus, having extra means you can make matching pillows later—or patch that spot where your cat inevitably decides to practice mountaineering.

Measuring: Where Dreams Meet Reality

The measuring phase separates optimists from realists. Most people measure once, cut their fabric, and then discover their windows aren't actually rectangular. Old houses especially love to surprise you with windows that lean, bow, or exist in some non-Euclidean geometry that defies conventional measurement.

Start by measuring the width of your window frame, then decide how far beyond you want the curtains to extend. I typically add 8-12 inches on each side—enough to block light gaps but not so much that you're curtaining the entire wall. For the height, measure from where your rod will hang to where you want the curtains to end.

A word about curtain length that nobody talks about: the "correct" length depends entirely on your life circumstances. Designers will insist curtains should kiss the floor or puddle elegantly. But if you have pets, children, or a robot vacuum, floor-length curtains become dust mops. I've settled on curtains that hover about an inch above the floor—close enough to look intentional, high enough to stay clean.

The Actual Making Part

Before you touch your good fabric, practice on something cheap. Old sheets work brilliantly for this. You'll mess up the first time—everyone does—and it's better to learn why your sewing machine hates you on fabric that cost $2 rather than $30 per yard.

Cut your fabric panels according to your measurements, adding 4 inches to the width for side hems and 8 inches to the length for top and bottom hems. Yes, those seem like generous allowances. You'll thank me later when you have room to adjust things.

The side hems come first. Fold over 1 inch, press, fold over another inch, press again, then sew. This double-fold method hides raw edges and creates clean lines. Some people skip the pressing and just pin, but pressing makes the difference between homemade curtains and curtains that look professionally made. My iron sees more action during curtain projects than it does for actual clothes.

For the bottom hem, I use a 4-inch double fold. This extra weight helps curtains hang properly—physics again. Without sufficient weight at the bottom, curtains billow and float like ghosts every time the heat kicks on. If your fabric is particularly lightweight, consider adding curtain weights or a chain in the bottom hem. Yes, chain, like from the hardware store. It's an old theater trick that works brilliantly.

The Header Situation

The top of your curtain—the header—determines how your curtains will hang and function. Rod pocket headers are the simplest: just fold over the top, sew a channel, and slide the rod through. They look clean and classic but make opening and closing curtains feel like wrestling match.

Pinch pleats require more effort but create those elegant folds you see in magazines. You'll need to calculate pleat placement (math returns to haunt us), mark carefully, and hand-stitch each pleat. The first time I attempted pinch pleats, I ended up with what looked more like random fabric origami. Practice helps, as does accepting that perfection is overrated.

My personal favorite? Ring clips. Sew a simple hem at the top, clip on rings every 4-6 inches, done. It's not the fanciest option, but it works beautifully and lets you adjust fullness easily. Plus, when curtains need washing, removal takes seconds instead of requiring a engineering degree.

Lining: The Overachiever's Dilemma

To line or not to line—that's the question that keeps sewists up at night. Lining adds privacy, insulation, and UV protection. It also doubles your work and cost. I've gone both ways, and here's my take: line curtains in bedrooms and any room with expensive furniture or art. Skip lining in kitchens, bathrooms, or anywhere moisture might cause problems.

If you do line, attach the lining before hemming. Lay your face fabric right-side up, place lining on top right-side down, sew along the sides, turn right-side out, and proceed with hemming. The lining should be slightly shorter than the face fabric—about 1 inch—so it doesn't peek out at the bottom.

Installation and the Art of Hanging Straight

Installing curtain rods seems straightforward until you realize walls are liars. They pretend to be straight and level but rarely are. Use a level, measure multiple times, and prepare for adjustments. Mount brackets wider than the window frame—this makes windows appear larger and allows curtains to stack beside the window when open, not block it.

Height matters too. Hanging curtains close to the ceiling makes rooms feel taller, but go too high and you'll emphasize every imperfection in your hemming. I usually mount rods 4-6 inches above the window frame, though I once hung them at ceiling height in a basement apartment and transformed a cave into something almost airy.

The Finishing Touches Nobody Mentions

After hanging your curtains, step back and really look. They probably need steaming or ironing to remove fold lines. They might hang unevenly—fabric has memory and needs time to relax into its new position. Sometimes one panel will be mysteriously longer than its twin, despite identical measurements. Welcome to the mystery of fabric grain and the reason seamstresses develop strong opinions about wine.

Train your curtains by gently arranging the folds how you want them to hang, then leave them tied back for a few days. Fabric learns its shape, and trained curtains look infinitely more polished than wild ones left to their own devices.

Final Thoughts from the Workroom

Making curtains taught me patience in ways meditation never could. It's a process of constant small adjustments, of accepting that handmade means visible evidence of human hands. My curtains aren't perfect—there's a slightly wonky seam in my living room panels that only I notice—but they're exactly what I wanted because I made them.

The real secret to curtain-making isn't technical skill. It's understanding that windows are architectural eyes, and you're essentially choosing their clothing. Sometimes they need sunglasses (blackout curtains), sometimes they want to show off (sheers), and sometimes they just need something comfortable and practical (standard panels). Once you start thinking this way, the technical parts become just steps toward dressing your windows in their perfect outfit.

Every room I've curtained tells a story. The kitchen curtains made from vintage tablecloths, the bedroom panels lined with blackout fabric after too many 5 AM wake-ups, the living room sheers that filter light into something magical during golden hour. These aren't just window coverings—they're functional art that happens to be washable.

So grab some fabric, accept that mistakes will happen, and start creating. Your windows are waiting for their new wardrobe, and honestly, anything you make will probably look better than those sad mini-blinds anyway.

Authoritative Sources:

Singer Sewing Reference Library. Sewing for the Home: The Complete Guide to Window Treatments, Pillows, Slipcovers, and Other Home Decorating Projects. Creative Publishing International, 2003.

Dobson, Jennie, and Dorothea Hall. The Encyclopedia of Sewing Techniques. Search Press, 2003.

James, Chris. The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments. Creative Publishing International, 2011.

Newell, Diana. Complete Curtain Making Course. New Holland Publishers, 2015.