Things You'll Need:
- king-size sheets
- scissors
- tape measure
- straight pins
- sewing machine
- matching color thread
- curtain hooks
- cutting wheel
- iron and board
- pressing cloth
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Step 1
Measure your windows. Note your desired curtain length and width in a project notebook. If a curtain rod is already hanging, measure the curtain rod to determine the curtain's height and width. Add an additional 12 inches to the length and 6 inches to the width of your measurements to give you some fabric leeway to achieve a certain look such as puddling on the floor.
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Step 2
Know the kind and quality of sheet you'd like to buy for the design you're trying to achieve. Sheets are available along a quality spectrum from polyester-cotton blends up to Egyptian cotton made from very fine quality yarns with up to as many as 1,200 strands per inch. Sheets are also available in knits, satins and silks and many colors and patterns. The number of sheets you'll need to buy will depend on the number and size of the windows you want to curtain.
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Step 3
Purchase flat sheets instead of fitted sheets as they will provide the most usable fabric without having to remove the elastic band from four corners of a fitted sheet. King-size bed sheets will provide the most fabric for your project. A regular king flat sheet is approximately 110 by 102 inches, while a king fitted sheet has only 78 by 80 inches of usable surface.
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Step 4
Cutting a king sheet may be necessary to make smaller curtain panels. One king-size sheet can make two approximately 51-inch-wide (1 yard, 15 inches) panels. Individual needs for fabric will vary depending on the window and intended curtain design.
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Step 5
Iron each sheet before using. If you need to make cuts, measure twice and cut once. Folding a king sheet in half horizontally or vertically can make your imaginary cut line to create two equal size panels.
Mark off your cut line using a tape measure and a pencil or cutting wheel. After cutting, hem all the sides of your curtain panels for the most professional look when finished. To hem, turn a raw fabric edge under 1/4 inch and sew. Press down all the panel hems on the reverse side using a steam iron. -
Step 6
Make top-pleated curtains, the classic drapery look, easily without a pattern. To make top pleats, measure the curtain and mark off equal distances of 8 inches. Use straight pins to gather three 1-inch folds that are 4 inches in length. Use straight pins in several places along each pleat length to hold it. Top-sew each pleat using the same color thread about ½ inch from the edge. Turn the fabric a 90-degree turn to sew the pleat bottom closed. Reinforce the bottom sew line several times using the back-and-forth motion on the sewing machine.
Steam iron each pleat using a pressing cloth to finish the top-pleat curtain panel. Purchase metal hooks to thread through each pleat and hang the curtain onto a rod appropriate for the hook size.
