How to Make Dupioni Drapery

Anyone can make a rod pocket dupioni drapery, with no sewing equipment or experience required. Dupioni is a type of silk that's woven with small slubs; it's perfect for creating a casually elegant look, and is available in a rainbow of colors. Set aside an afternoon for a project of this size.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler
• Curtain rod
• Dupioni fabric
• Straight pins
• Scissors
• Iron-on fusible webbing
• Iron
• Press cloth

Instructions

Calculate Dimensions

1. Use a ruler to measure the diameter of the curtain rod you'll use to hang your drapery. Add one inch to this measurement. Now double that sum--this is how much fabric you'll fold over at the top of the curtain for your rod pocket.

2. Decide how far you want your curtain to fall--sill length, floor length, or floor length with several inches of puddling. Measure this distance, starting from the top of where your curtain rod is mounted.

3. Calculate the desired width of your curtain. You may want one curtain to cover the whole window, or you may want one panel on each side.

Mark and Pin Hems

1. Lay your fabric on the floor, wrong side up.

2. Mark your fabric with the desired dimensions for width and height. Include a one-inch hem on the sides and bottom, and add your rod pocket measurement at the top. Use straight sewing pins to mark these lines.

3. Use scissors to trim your dupioni fabric to the lines indicated.

4. Cut strips of fusible webbing to place along the sides and bottom of your curtain.

5. Fold a one-inch hem so that the webbing is tucked between two layers of fabric. Pin each hem in place.

Fuse Hems and Hang

1. Set a white cotton press cloth over the section of hem you're about to iron. This will protect the dupioni silk from the iron's heat, while allowing the fusible webbing to hold the fabric in place.

2. Run your iron over each hem. Use the heat setting indicated by the manufacturer of the fusible webbing (usually this is medium-high heat with no steam). Move the iron slowly and gently, progressing in a straight line.

3. Retrieve your measurement for the rod pocket length. Mark this measurement from the top of the curtain and fold the edge down until it meets this line.

4. Fuse your rod pocket seam, repeating the process you completed to hem the sides and bottom of the curtain.

5. Slip the curtain rod through the rod pocket and re-mount the rod.

Tips & Warnings

• If the webbing does not fuse entirely on the first pass, iron it again using slightly higher heat.

• If your draperies need touch-ups or stains removed, keep in mind that dupioni should always be dry cleaned; unlike other silks, it cannot be hand-washed or steamed.

• Do not iron your dupioni fabric without a press cloth. The high heat needed to fuse the webbing could damage the fabric unless it is protected by the press cloth.

References

• Silk Road Textile Merchants

Resources

• Stitch 'Em Up: About Fusible Webbing
• Rental Decorating Digest: Making Curtains without Sewing