How to Make Simple Kitchen Valances

A valance is a simple curtain often utilized in rooms where minimal fuss and décor is required or desired. The term valance originated in the 1400s from the city of Valence, in France, known for fabric production. Sewing a simple kitchen valance is little more than hemming a rectangle and creating a curtain rod casing. With a few sewing machine skills and an afternoon, you can create kitchen valances from the fabric of your choosing.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fabric, 62 inches wide by 20 inches length (per valance panel for a window 30 to 32 inches wide)
• Straight pins
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Installed curtain brackets & curtain rod
• Iron

1. Fold all of the edges of the fabric over twice against the wrong side of the fabric, creating a 1-inch wide hem on all four edges. Pin the fabric so the hems stay in place.

2. Sew, on the sewing machine, using a straight stitch and ½-inch seam allowance, along the pins. Remove the pins as sewing progresses.

3. Choose one of the 62-inches width edges to be the "top" of the valance. Fold the top edge of the valance down three inches against the wrong side of the fabric and pin.

4. Sew, on the sewing machine, using a straight stitch, along the line of pins across the entire valance forming the top of the curtain rod casing. A casing is a tunnel or gutter in the fabric where the curtain rod slips through. Remove pins.

5. Measure down two inches from this sewn line and pin a line of pins to mark. This will be the bottom of the curtain rod casing.

6. Sew, on the sewing machine, using a straight stitch, along the line of pins across the entire valance. Remove pins.

7. Iron the valance.

8. Slip the curtain rod through the curtain rod casing on the valance. This is one valance panel. If you have a window measuring wider than 30-32-inches, you will need to make additional valances to achieve desired fullness. You want your valances when flat, to measure double the window's width.

9. Hang the curtain rod onto the previously installed brackets.

Tips & Warnings

• Add lace or trim to the valance by sewing, with a zig zag stitch, the lace or trim on top of the bottom hem of the valance before hanging.

References

• Simple Valance Photo
• Valance Definition