How to Make Easy Cafe Curtains
Cafe curtains offer an airy, open atmosphere to a room while retaining some privacy. Create this inviting effect at home to make the most of natural light. Cafe curtains show off attractive window details and the garden or other view from the room. Select lightweight, light-colored fabrics to enhance the bright effect and allow the most light through or use solid, darker fabrics to help block heat. Using lace-edged or plain table runners, dresser scarves or dishtowels makes the process easy. You can design a window treatment to fit your home and tastes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Lace-edged or plain table runners, dresser scarves or dishtowels
- Metal measuring tape
- Yardstick (optional)
- Tailor's chalk
- Scissors
- Iron-on hemming tape
- Iron
Instructions
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1
Measure for the cafe curtain length. Cafe curtains usually end at the window sill. Measure from the top of the curtain rod to the window sill and note the measurement. Add 2-1/2 inches for the curtain rod channel.
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2
Measure the width of the window. Place the end of the tape measure inside the window frame and measure to the inside edge of the opposite window frame. Measure twice and make a note of the measurement. Choose the number of cafe curtain panels based on the fabric width and the window width. For example, to use 12-inch wide dresser scarves on a 36-inch wide window, make four panels. Increase the width measurement by at least a foot to have some gathers in the cafe curtains.
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3
Measure from the bottom of the dresser scarf or other fabric. Mark the fabric with tailor's chalk at the desired length measurement near each edge of the fabric. If the edge is scalloped or irregular, measure from the longest point, as that is the part of the fabric that will reach the window sill.
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4
Place a metal tape measure or a yardstick across the width of the cafe curtain panel level with the two marks. Draw a line between the marks with tailor's chalk.
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5
Cut the cafe curtain. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 with each cafe curtain panel.
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6
Turn the curtain panels right-side down. Measure 2-1/2 inches from the top. On each side of the fabric, make a mark with the tailor's chalk and fold the fabric down to the mark. This forms the channel for the curtain rod.
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7
Unroll a strip of hemming tape the width of the cafe curtain panel and cut off the excess. Remove the hemming tape's backing if it has a paper strip on one side of it.
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8
Place the hemming tape under the cut edge of the fabric at the bottom of the curtain channel so the fabric covers the hemming tape. Iron the fabric over the hemming tape at medium heat. Use a low-heat setting for lace or synthetic fabrics.
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9
Hold the iron in place over each part of the channel for 30 seconds. Check that the hemming tape adhered to the fabric. Repeat, if needed. For thick fabrics, use the lowest-steam setting.
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10
Repeat this process with each cafe curtain panel.
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