How to Sew Some Sheer Panel Curtains

You can sew sheer curtain panels.

Sheer curtain panels let light into a room while reducing visibility to outsiders looking in. Making the panels yourself lets you custom-fit the panels to your windows. Light, sheer fabric is easily damaged during sewing, so special needles are required. Sheer fabric also sometimes catches in sewing machine feed dogs, so you must adjust the machine's presser foot tension. You also need to add a removable layer to the sheer fabric when sewing to support the fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure or yardstick
• Sheer fabric
• Grid mat
• Rotary cutter
• Silk straight pins
• Strips of 3-inch-wide white tissue paper
• Sewing machine with size 8 universal needle
• Fine polyester thread

Instructions

1. Measure the window to get the height and width dimensions. Add 10 inches to the height and double the width measurements.

2. Spread the fabric out on the grid mat. Line up the fabric's selvage edge along the edge of the grid mat to keep the grain-line straight. Measure the length of the sheer panels along the selvage edge of the fabric. Measure across the fabric for the width.

3. Press down lightly on the fabric with the blade of the rotary cutter, and roll across the fabric. Follow the lines marked on the grid mat, at the dimensions you calculated, to make sure you are cutting in a straight line.

4. Fold the raw side edges of the sheer curtain panels under 1/4 inch and pin the folded edge using straight pins. Fold the side edges under 1/4 inch a second time, moving the pins from the first fold to the second fold as you go.

5. Thread the sewing machine with the fine polyester thread and set it to make the shortest stitch possible. Set the presser foot tension on heavy pressure. Heavy presser foot tension holds light fabrics more securely than light tension. Lightweight, sheer fabric will not get pushed into the needle hole and caught by the feed dogs as easily if the presser foot tension is set on heavy.

6. Place strips of tissue paper on top of each folded edge, covering the length of each sides. Sew the folds down 3/16 inch from the outer folded edge. Tear off the tissue paper after you finish the seam.

7. Fold the top and bottom edges of the sheer panel curtains under 1/4 inch. Pin the folded edges. Fold the top and bottom edges a second time, making a 4 and 3/4-inch fold. Move the pins to the double-folded outer edges. Place tissue paper strips over the double-folded edges. Sew the top and bottom using the sewing machine. Tear off the tissue paper strips.

Tips & Warnings

• If the fabric is not wide enough, cut and sew an extra panel or two to add width.

References

• Jenny T's Simple Sewing Projects: 12 Tips on How To Sew Sheers
• Sewing & Craft Alliance: Universal Sewing Machine Needles

Resources

• Sewing & Craft Alliance: Sewing Machine Basics