How to Make a Kitchen Valance

Sew a simple rod pocket valance for your kitchen window.

Home builders often construct kitchen windows to allow for maximum sunlight penetration. Windows may be smaller or an odd size compared with the other windows in the house. Due to fire hazards, full-length curtains are not desirable in a kitchen; however, the use of a rod pocket kitchen valance can reduce sun glare while lending an interior decorator-type accent to your kitchen window. Sew a rod pocket kitchen valance in about an hour from the fabric of your choice.

Things You'll Need

• Washing machine
• Clothes detergent
• Clothes dryer
• Measuring tape
• Chalk
• Scissors
• Fabric
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Rod pocket curtain rod---installed

Instructions

1. Wash the fabric in your washing machine using the manufacturer's recommended amount of clothes detergent. Dry the fabric in the clothes dryer. According to the Sewing and Craft Alliance, it's necessary to pre-shrink the fabric before sewing so you'll be able to wash the finished curtains in the future without the curtains shrinking.

2. Measure the width of your window. Multiply this measurement by 2 for the modified width of the window. According to the Sewing and Craft Alliance, doubling the fabric allows for extra fullness in the valance.

3. Measure and cut a rectangle of fabric according to the modified width by 20 inches long. Use chalk to draw the outline onto the wrong side of the fabric before cutting, if necessary.

4. Fold the bottom width edge (you choose which edge is the bottom) over 1/2 inch against the wrong side of the fabric, then fold the edge over another 1/2 inch. Pin edge. Sew the bottom hem using a 1/2-inch seam allowance and a straight stitch. Remove the pins.

5. Fold the left side edge over 1/2 inch against the wrong side of the fabric. Fold the edge over 1/2 -inch again. Pin the edge. Repeat for the right side edge. Sew the left and right side edges using a 1/2-inch seam allowance and a straight stitch to hem both sides of the valance. Remove the pins.

6. Fold the top, raw edge over 1/2 inch against the wrong side of the fabric. Pin the edge. Sew the pinned edge using a 1/2-inch seam allowance and a straight stitch. Remove the pins.

7. Fold the top hemmed edge over 3-1/2 inches against the wrong side of the fabric. Pin the edge. Sew along the pinned edge using a 3-1/2-inch seam allowance and a straight stitch. Remove the pins. This will be the rod pocket.

8. Iron the valance on an ironing board with the appropriate setting for your fabric.

9. Measure 1 inch down from the top fold of the rod pocket and pin, horizontally, across the valance.

10. Sew horizontally across the valance along the line of pins using a 1-inch seam allowance and a straight stitch. Remove the pins. This stitch line created the rod pocket. When the valance gathers over the rod the top fabric will create a ruffle.

11. Slip the curtain rod through the rod pocket and hang your valance in your kitchen window.

References

• Sewing and Craft Alliance: Making Rod Pocket Curtains