How to Make Hobbled Roman Shades

Learn how to make a hobbled Roman shade with these step-by-step instructions. A hobbled Roman shade is a Roman shade that has permanent pleats when completely lowered and neatly pleats and stacks when it is raised.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Your face fabric (you'll need at least twice the finished length of your hobbled roman shade)
• Your lining (same amount as fabric)
• Roman Shade lift cord
• Hobbled Roman shade ring tape with 3" or 6" ring spacing
• Roman shade ribs
• A 1" x 2" or 1" x 3" dust board cut to the finished width of your roman shade
• A staple gun
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• Weight bar
• Cord lock or Roman shade bead chain system

1. Measure your window or wall to get the finished width and finished length of your hobbled Roman shade.

2. Cut your fabric to the finished width plus 3" by 2X the finished length plus 24".

3. Cut your lining to the finished width minus 1" by 2X the finished length plus 24".

4. Lay the lining and fabric right sides together and sew the side seams with a 1/2" seam.

5. Turn the panel right sides out and press. There should be 1" of fabric folding over the lining side.

6. Fold the bottom edge up 4" and press. Then fold it up again 4" and press. Sew the bottom hem in place.

7. Measure up 12" and mark, then measure up 1" and mark.
   Repeat this all the way up your roman shade.

8. Fold the 1" sections right sides together and sew across your roman shade creating 1/2" casings.

9. Pin your first ring on your ring tape to the bottom edge of your hobbled roman shade. You'll want the strip of ring tape to be along the side seam of your Roman shade.

10. Take the next ring that is 6" from the first ring and pin it to just above the first rib casing
    
    Repeat this step all the way up your hobbled Roman shade.

11. Repeat these steps for each lift cord that you will have for your Roman shade.

12. Sew the tape onto your shade at each pinned ring only. You can use a zig-zag stitch at 0 stitch length to tack on the tape and rings.

13. Attach the top of your Roman shade to the top of your dust board with a staple gun

14. Thread your lift cord through the shade rings and through your Roman shade hardware

15. Install the dust board to your wall or window.

Tips & Warnings

• Your lift cords should be spaced about every 10" apart. Any more than this and your roman shade may swag in the center
• Attach your Roman shade to the dust board using Velcro instead of staples, this will make it easier to remove the shade for cleaning.
• Use a roman shade bead chain system to raise and lower your Roman shade. This provides smooth and accurate operation.
• Make sure you sew through all layers of your Roman shade when you sew on the shade rings.

Resources

• How To Make Hobbled Roman Shades - Step by step E-book and Video
• How To Make Roman Shades System

[4dogday]

on 4/8/2009 Thanks, very detailed instructions on making a Roman shade.

[mpodlesny]

on 4/8/2009 neat

[JimboJambo]

on 4/8/2009 I love this type of shade, it would look great in my living room. They are so expensive to buy though.. Now I can make them myself. Great Article.