How to Sew Your Own Curtain – Free DIY Tutorial

Sewing your own curtain is not only a creative way to enhance your home, but also a rewarding and personalized alternative to ready-made curtains, which often tend to look quite plain. Whether you have a specific style in mind or simply need the perfect length and width, with a bit of skill and the right materials, you can design your living space exactly the way you want. In this blog post, I’ll show you how to sew a curtain step by step and share tips on which materials you’ll need. I’ll be using fabrics and accessories from IKEA, but of course, you can source your materials elsewhere.

One important tip: make sure to install the curtain rod first, as this is the only way to accurately measure the dimensions!

Material List:

Tip for Choosing the Fabric: The choice of fabric is crucial for the function and drape of a curtain. Lightweight fabrics like cotton or linen provide an airy, flowing look, making them ideal for spaces where plenty of natural light is desired. Heavier fabrics, such as velvet or blackout materials, create an elegant, dense drape and are perfect for blocking light or adding extra insulation. The texture of the fabric also plays a role in its impact: smooth fabrics convey a modern and clean aesthetic, while patterned or textured fabrics add a vibrant touch to the room. Choose your fabric carefully to balance function and style!

• Fabric of your choice (for opaque or blackout curtains, heavier fabrics are recommended; used here: PHILODENDRON from IKEA)
• Pleat tape (used here: KRONILL from IKEA)
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• Iron
• Measuring tape and fabric scissors
• Pins and fabric clips

Cutting the Fabric:

The optimal width of your curtain is determined by the window width plus an additional 10 cm on each side. This ensures that no light seeps in from the sides when the curtain is closed. Keep in mind that you’ll need to add 3 cm of seam allowance to each side, for a total of 6 cm.

Formula: desired window width + 26 cm

For the curtain's length, measure from the curtain rod to your desired length (floor-length, window sill, etc.) and then add about 15 cm as a "safety margin." This extra length allows for a wide hem at the bottom edge, ensuring the curtain hangs well. It also provides some leeway in case of minor sewing inaccuracies or if you decide to use a different mounting method, such as rings or hooks, to hang your curtain.

Formula: desired length + 15 cm

In my case, the fabric's width was sufficient to fully cover the window. However, if this isn’t the case, you can start by sewing two fabric panels together to achieve the required width.

Finishing the Edges:

Once you’ve cut the fabric to the desired dimensions, start by folding each side of the fabric twice, each time by 1.5 cm. This ensures that the selvage and unprinted areas are hidden. Iron the folds flat to create crisp edges, and secure them with a few pins or fabric clips.

Next, sew the hems close to the edge. For this project, I used a straight stitch with a stitch length of 3 mm. If you have a hem foot, feel free to use it for this step. In my case, I used an overlock foot because it includes a guide. I adjusted the needle slightly to the left so the seam sits precisely 2 mm from the edge. If you’re using a standard presser foot, you can mark the exact distance on your sewing machine with tape, such as masking tape or washi tape, to help you sew the hem evenly.

Attaching the Pleat Tape:

First, cut the pleat tape so that it is 3 cm wider than your curtain, which has already been hemmed on the sides.

Lay the pleat tape right side down on top of the hemmed edge of the curtain and secure it with pins or fabric clips. Fold the fabric from the top downward so that approximately 1 cm of fabric extends underneath the pleat tape.

Now, fold the pleat tape wrong sides together along the entire width of the fabric. On the opposite side, fold in the pleat tape by 1.5 cm again, making sure the fabric edge is tucked underneath. Secure the tape and fabric together with pins or clips.

Follow these steps as shown in the illustrations, starting from one side of the hem and working across to the other:

1. Attach the pleat tape to the hemmed edge of the fabric.

2. Fold the top edge of the curtain downward.

3. Fold the pleat tape to the left.

4. Pin the pleat tape at regular intervals.

5. Continue this process until you reach the other side.

6. Fold the top edge of the fabric to the end, then fold the pleat tape by 1.5 cm and tuck the fabric underneath. Pin securely.

Now, sew the pleat tape close to the edge all the way around.

At the corners, leave the needle in the fabric, lift the presser foot, and rotate the fabric. This way, you can sew smoothly around the entire curtain without any interruptions.

The Bottom Hem:

Now that the top part is completely finished, you can hang the curtain temporarily to check the fit.

I was glad I had left enough safety margin in this step. Originally, I planned to hang the curtain with rings, but after trying it, I didn’t like the look as much. So, I decided to hang it directly from the loops of the pleat tape, which made it hang a few centimeters higher!

Make sure to mark the fabric where you want the hem to end or measure the excess length. Depending on the width of your fabric, be sure to measure both sides, and possibly check the middle as well.

Take the curtain down again and iron the hem at the marked spot. Then, fold the raw edge of the hem about 1 cm inward to create a clean edge. Sew this hem close to the edge to finish it neatly.

Finally, press all the seams and the entire curtain once more with the iron.

And that's it – you're done!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you have any questions or run into any issues, please feel free to leave a comment. I’d also love to hear your positive feedback! :)

Otherwise, have fun sewing, and feel free to explore my other free blog posts. You can also take a look around my shop, where you'll find many more sewing and crochet patterns for practical items, cute stuffed animals, and amigurumi.