How to Make Lined Curtains With a Header

Making a lined curtain with a header will give you a crisper and more polished look than a curtain without a lining. Linings may seem scary to sew, but these curtains are simple to make because you are not working with hems; all of your edges are enclosed in the lining. You can make the style and shape of your curtains as complicated as you want. Just cut the lining fabric as a mirror image of the curtain fabric. These instructions are for basic rectangular panels.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Curtain rod Tools to install curtain rod Curtain fabric Lining fabric Yardstick Tailor's chalk Straight pins Scissors Sewing machine Iron

1. Install the curtain rod for your window. Measure the length of the rod, including the side return if there is one. Double this measurement. This is your width measurement.

2. Measure from the top of the rod to the point where the bottom of your lined curtain will fall. Add 1 inch plus the height you want for your header. This is your length measurement.

3. Measure and cut the curtain fabric using the width and length measurements. Place the lining fabric right side up on a flat work surface. Position the cut curtain fabric right side down on the lining and pin the layers together. Cut the lining even with the curtain fabric.

4. Decide which is the top edge of your lined curtain. On both side edges of the curtain, measure down from the top edge ½-inch plus the desired header size. Mark the fabric at this point using the tailor's chalk. Skip 1½ inches for the rod pocket and mark at this point. If the diameter of the rod is bigger than 1½ inches, you will need to adjust the measurement here.

5. Sew a ½-inch seam allowance down one side of the lined curtain. Sew to the first mark, skip the rod pocket and resume sewing at the second mark. Continue to sew down the side, across the bottom and up the other side. Sew to the first mark, skip the rod pocket and resume sewing at the last mark and to the end. Leave the top of the lined curtain open.

6. Fold and press the top edge of the lined curtain to the wrong side of the fabric a ½-inch. Clip the bottom corners of the curtain and turn right side out.

7. Pin the top edge of the lined curtain header together. Top stitch as close to the edge as possible.

8. Place the lined curtain with the lining side up on your work surface. Use the tailor's chalk to draw a line from the top of the rod pocket on one side of the curtain to the top of the rod pocket on the other side. Repeat for the bottom of the rod pocket.

9. Pin the layers of the rod pocket together to prevent slipping. Top stitch along the tailor's chalk line, above and below the rod pocket.

[opalpearl3]

on 4/7/2009 Thanks for the instructions. 5*