How to Make Heavy Liner Curtains
You need to protect your beautiful hardwood floor, or your leather sofa, from sun damage; you need to keep the winter warmth inside the room. Between 10 and 30 percent of your heating bill may be going out the window, but adding a layer of lining will reduce this loss. Heavy liner curtains, typically constructed of black-out lining, are a solution that is well within the scope of skills for an intermediate-level home sewer. They hang on the same hook as the curtains through a buttonhole. Using a few drapery maker tricks and techniques will give you the tools to accomplish the task successfully. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Lining fabric
- Tape measure
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine with buttonhole capability
- Matching thread
- 1-inch safety pins
Instructions
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1
Count the number of pleats on the existing curtains to give the result of the number of buttonholes required. If the existing curtain does not have pleats, calculate the number of buttonholes by dividing the width of the rod by 4 and rounding up.
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2
Measure the width of the curtain rod. Divide this measurement by the number of buttonholes required and add 1 inch to the result. For example, if the rod is 40 inches wide and 10 buttonholes are required, 40 divided by 10 equals 4; add 1 inch for the result of 5. This is the space between the buttonholes. Measure the distance from the bottom of the drapery pin to the bottom of the hem of the drapes. These two measurements are the finished width and length of the liners to hang on existing drapery pins. If the existing curtain does not have drapery pins, measure the length of the existing curtains, subtract 1 1/2 inches and use this as the finished length of the liners.
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3
Cut the lining to the finished width plus 6 inches and the finished length plus 6 inches. Join sections of lining together, if necessary. Turn the bottom up 1 1/2 inches, twice, to create a 1 1/2-inch double hem. Press and stitch close to the folded inside edge.
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4
Turn the outside edges in toward the wrong side 1 1/2 inches, twice, to create a 1 1/2-inch double side hem. Press and stitch close to the inside folded edge.
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5
Turn the top down 3 inches toward the wrong side and press. Pin it in place.
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6
Starting at one side seam, mark the location of the buttonholes across the top of the panel. Start with a half space. For example, if the buttonhole placement is five inches apart, place the first location mark at 2 1/2 inches from one side seam and at increments of five inches along the top.
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Stitch 1/4-inch-long buttonholes at each location, starting one-half inch from the top edge and sewing the buttonholes perpendicular to the top edge.
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Install the liners by positioning the liner wrong side to the lining side of the curtains and slipping the buttonhole over the drapery pin. Tug the liner into position — the top of the button hole sits at the bottom of the hook portion of the pin. Rehang the drapes on their existing rod. If the curtains do not have drapery pins, attach the liners with a safety pin inserted into the button hole and then into the back of the curtain at a position just below the curtain rod, and equidistant across the back of the curtain.
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Tips & Warnings
Small grommets or eyelets can be used instead of buttonholes. Purchase a kit with a setter and grommets, or eyelets, in the notions department of a fabric store.
Check the washing instructions of the liner fabric. Some black-out lining is not washable, some is not dry-cleanable. Choose the one that best suits your lifestyle.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jeffrey Hamilton/Lifesize/Getty Images
