How to Make Outdoor Drapes
If you have an outdoor deck or patio with a trellis, you probably have imagined stringing curtains so that you can create an intimate outdoor room like those you've seen in movies or magazines. String a little stainless-steel cable with a removable turnbuckle and you can have those drapes before you know it. Choose a good outdoor fabric and your drapes will last for years and still look good. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Eyehooks
- Stainless-steel cable
- Turnbuckle with hook
- Steel crimps
- Steel crimp tool
- Wire cutter
- Tape measure
- Outdoor fabric
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
- Plastic grommets
Instructions
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1
Screw eye hooks across from each other at 6 to 8 feet above the deck. Open a turnbuckle to its widest position and hook the end on one screw eye. Cut the cable to fit between the loop end of the turnbuckle and the second screw eye. Loop the end of the cable through the screw eye and crimp the cables together. Loop the other end through the loop end of the turnbuckle, and add a crimp and crimp the cables together, using the crimp tool. Trim you extra cable with a wire cutter. You should be able to unhook the turnbuckle.
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2
Measure from the cable to the deck, using a tape measure, and add 3 inches for hems. The width is the width of the outdoor fabric as separate curtain panels will create less wind resistance.
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3
Sew a 1/2-inch hem all the way around the drapery, using a sewing machine. Sew a second 2-inch hem at the top of the drapery.
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4
Make an X cut with scissors 1 inch in from the top and the side of the top of the drapery and insert a plastic grommet. Measure the distance between the grommets and divide evenly. Mark each division and install grommets evenly spaced across the top of the drape.
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5
Unhook the turnbuckle and slide the curtain onto the steel cable back side to right side, right side to back side all the way across the curtain. Re-hook the turnbuckle and screw the turnbuckle to tighten the steel cable.
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Tips & Warnings
Make 2-inch-wide tiebacks in the same fabric and screw open screw eyes into the posts. Add grommets and pull your drapes back when not in use.
References
- Photo Credit massage cabin image by Zubritskaya&Karpukhin from Fotolia.com
