How to Make Button Tab Panel Curtains

A pair of tab top panel curtains with button accents along the top can add instant décor to a room and a sophisticated, yet relaxed style. While you can attach buttons to store-bought tab top curtains, making a pair on your own isn't difficult. It also allows you to select the fabrics which best fit your room's theme and colors, and to make curtains that fit the size of your windows. Even with limited sewing machine experience, you should be able to make button tab panel curtains in an afternoon.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Front fabric
• Lining fabric
• Scissors
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Ironing board
• Iron
• 16 buttons, 1-inch wide or larger
• Hand sewing needle

Instructions

1. Measure down from your curtain rod along the length of your window to decide how long you want the panels to be. Add 1 inch to this measurement. Measure the width of the window inside the frame.

2. Cut two pieces of fabric from your front fabric -- which will face the room -- to the length plus 1 inch, and to the width of the window. Cut two pieces this same size from the lining fabric, which will face the window. Cut 16 rectangles of front fabric to 8 by 10 inches for your tabs.

3. Pair one of the large panels of front fabric with a panel of lining fabric, with the patterns facing in. Align and pin along all four sides. Make a note of which edge will be the curtain top. Sew a ½-inch seam down both sides and along the bottom. Leave the top edge unsewn. Repeat this step with your other two panel pieces.

4. Remove any pins and place the top edge of a curtain panel on your ironing board. Fold down the top edge toward the back of the fabrics by ½ inch on the front and back. Press the fabric with a hot iron to crease the fold. Repeat with the other panel.

5. Fold each tab rectangle in half lengthwise with the pattern facing in, to form 4- by 10-inch rectangles. Sew down the long sides with a ½-inch seam, leaving the ends open. Turn the tabs right side out and press flat with your iron. Fold each tab to align the raw ends and press the fold.

6. Turn a curtain panel right side out and spread on a flat surface. Select eight tabs and slip the bottom ½ inch of the raw ends into the open top edge of the panel. Space the tabs evenly from corner to corner. Pin the tabs in place and pin the top opening closed. Sew a ¼-inch seam across the top to close it and attach the tabs. Repeat this step with the other panel and remaining eight tabs.

7. Center a button directly below each tab along the front fabric of your panels. Sew the buttons in place by hand through the fabric to secure. Hang the curtains along their tabs with the front fabric and buttons facing into your room.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a button that compliments the colors of your fabrics, but still stands out to be seen from across the room.

• If you are confident sewing a button hole, then cut your tab rectangles to 8 by 12 inches and sew one of the ends closed in Step 5. Tuck the one raw end of the tab into the curtain in Step 6 and sew a button hole into the finished end of each tab. Loop the tabs by slipping the button hole over each of the attached buttons after Step 7.

References

• "Simply Window Treatments"; Linda J. Selden; 1998
• "Windows With Ease"; Allison Brown Cerier; 2003