Shortening the curtains
It will not be difficult for an experienced housewife to shorten the canvas. In this case, there is no need to have a sewing machine; it will only make it easier to carry out your plans.
It is recommended to hang the fabric on the curtain rod, it will take its final shape, after which you can take measurements. The method of processing the bottom of any product directly depends on the fabric used. Using a double hem, you can hide up to 30 cm of fabric without cutting, thereby shortening the curtain.
Important! If the curtains are made of thin materials (organza, silk), then after basting, traces of needle punctures may remain on their surface. To avoid this, it is recommended to use a special adhesive strip “cobweb”, which is carefully ironed, fastening the folded piece and the canvas itself. In this case, you only need to iron through gauze and lay the fabric on a towel.
The bottom of the fabric is also hemmed with edge processing of various edgings. The edging itself is a ribbon of fabric that is folded in half, and its raw edges are folded inward. The bottom of the curtain is inserted into the resulting pocket, fixed there with pins, then basted and stitched on the machine.
An option is to process the top edge of the curtain. For this purpose, special tapes with ready-made fastenings are used. Such curtain tapes are distinguished by the variety of materials from which they are made, their width, and the number of fastenings. In addition, they are equipped with special threads that allow you to create folds in the upper part of the fabric. This opens up a wide range of drapery possibilities.
What will you need for this?
To shorten you will need: the canvas itself, a needle, threads, braid, scissors, iron, measuring tape, tailor's soap.
Process
The first step is to trim the edge. Rushing at this stage is unacceptable, as it can lead to deformation of the canvas. The side edges are processed first, the fabric is folded and ironed, and then stitched.
The next stage involves attaching the braid to the top of the future curtain. Evenness and neatness of the edges is ensured by folding the fabric by 2-3 cm, as well as ironing. The curtain braid is folded in exactly the same way at both ends. The main thing is that the threads responsible for the formation of the drapery are released from the hem. After the prepared tape is applied to the wrong side of the curtain, it is sewn on. Moreover, the number of seams themselves directly depends on the width of the tape. The algorithm here is as follows: with a tape width of 5 cm, two seams are enough, top and bottom; for a 10 cm braid, it makes sense to make three seams, etc.
The bottom edge is processed using the double hem method.
After any stitching for which preliminary overcasting was done, it is necessary to pull out the overcasting threads.
After the curtains are shortened and hemmed, the stage of forming the drapery begins.
Selecting the required material
The quality of self-made roller blinds depends largely on how well the fabric for their manufacture is selected. In this case, it is recommended to give preference to durable materials that have antibacterial, antistatic and dirt-repellent impregnations.
A roller blind made from high-quality material will be attractive and easy to care for. If in the recent past natural fabrics were the most popular, today high-quality synthetics have appeared, which are environmentally friendly and in their material performance characteristics and appearance are in no way inferior to natural fabrics. At the same time, synthetic fabrics are resistant to fading in the sun, they are easy to care for and are durable.
When choosing a fabric, you need to take into account the manufacturer’s recommendations for using such fabric. You should find out if it is washable and if dry cleaning is possible in the future. Bright colors tend to fade in the sun, so this roll should be double-sided, with the outer side made of durable and UV-resistant material.
Roller blinds have become very popular for decorating windows in various rooms, and when you come to the store, your eyes simply run wide from the abundance of products of different colors and from different materials. How to sew roller blinds with your own hands? - this is the main question of housewives who love to do handicrafts or those who have a limited budget. We answer - of course it is possible, and even necessary! And this doesn’t require much effort, just patience and the necessary materials.
There are a number of advantages why many people choose roller blinds. Firstly, it is practical and economical in terms of finances and space occupied. Secondly, they are suitable for any room in any design style. Thirdly, thanks to the lifting mechanism, you can adjust the level of illumination in the room. Fourthly, they are very easy to care for and you will have to do this extremely rarely, unlike classic long curtains. Fifthly, roller blinds on plastic windows are very easy to install using self-tapping screws or adhesive tape.
How to shorten curtains without cutting
In order to shorten canvases without trimming, you will need the following:
- the canvas itself with processed edges to which the tape is sewn;
- threads to match the fabric;
- needle;
- scissors.
There are several ways to shorten. With the first method, you must first hang the curtains on the cornice. Then, using a hand stitch, stepping back from the edge 5 cm, stitch the sides vertically.
At the very beginning, i.e. from the middle of the height of the entire canvas, the thread must be secured. Next, as you approach the bottom, the stitch is slightly rounded. After this, the center is determined and then stitched in exactly the same way as the sides were stitched, only the beginning should now be 20 cm higher. The curtain will be shortened by folds if you pull the threads one by one, the ends of which are left loose at the bottom. Once the required height is reached, the threads should be fixed. By analogy, the procedure is carried out in the second part.
Another way is to use a sewing machine with the stitches set to the maximum pitch.
Another option, more suitable for thick fabrics. This method is similar to the first, with the only difference that instead of manual stitching, transparent curtain tape is used, sewn from the inside out. Thanks to this tape, you can adjust the length of the curtain, creating spectacular folds.
And finally, there is a way to shorten curtains using special magnets, crabs and other devices.
Photo gallery
Another method of attaching roller blinds, similar to the previous one, involves fixing the canvas directly to the frame itself. Using a drill, special holes are drilled in the profile for further installation of products. This work requires skill and accuracy from the performer, otherwise damage to the expensive PVC double-glazed window is inevitable.
Reading time: 9 minutes.
Roller blinds, which simultaneously combine functionality and ease of use, have a low cost and stylish appearance, are very popular today when decorating windows. Thanks to their simplicity, you can easily make them yourself, which we will tell you about in this article.
How to shorten curtains without hemming
In order to do this, you need to purchase a special adhesive tape - “cobweb”. The sequence of steps for this shortening method will be as follows:
- the length that needs to be removed is determined and the fabric is folded;
- the fold line is carefully ironed;
- a “cobweb” is laid between the resulting layers of fabric, ironed, and the adhesive tape backing is separated (if any);
- The folded fabric is ironed, the “web” heats up and glues the layers together.
If the length that needs to be shortened is large, you should use several layers of adhesive tape, or distribute it over the entire folded fabric in small increments.
The method of shortening curtains without hemming does not provide a long service life, since after several washes the adhesive tape begins to peel off. In this case, the gluing procedure should be repeated.
Table of minimum and maximum sizes
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How to shorten roller blinds to width
Sometimes purchased roller blinds may be wider than the window opening. The problem is solved as follows. The canvas is brought into an unfolded state, and the plugs are removed from the shaft on which it hangs.
The bottom of the roll is equipped with a weighting agent that must be removed. Next, using a ruler and pencil, markings are made on the curtain itself. Using scissors or a stationery knife, cut off the excess part according to the markings. The top tube is cut, but with the expectation that it should be 7-8 cm longer than the canvas itself.
A hacksaw for metal is quite suitable as a tool. The weighting material is also shortened, but it should only be 1-1.5 cm shorter. At the final stage, the parts are assembled together, and the fabric is tightly wound around the shaft. This way you can easily shorten the roller blinds and then mount them in place.
“If the old interior is boring and no longer pleasing to the eye, do not rush to make repairs. First, try changing the curtains,” this is the advice given by popular design publications. But is it that simple? Decorating window openings is an easy task only at first glance. Even when working with a ready-made “salon” project, difficulties arise, because any typical room can unexpectedly have its own unique characteristics.
Making window decorations yourself poses even more questions for needlewomen. However, guided by the information presented above, it is quite possible to understand the methods of shortening, how to do this without subjecting the fabric to cutting or hemming, how, finally, to hem and trim classic fabric curtains, and what to do if the rolled ones do not fit in width.
Installing roller blinds on plastic windows
When it comes to glazing houses, terraces and gazebos, most owners of country property give preference to PVC double-glazed windows, which are durable and practical.
Installing roller blinds on PVC windows is much easier than on wooden frames. In this case, the upper fastening of the cornice can be done with double-sided tape, and a wooden plank can be used as a weighting agent.
2 ways to attach roller curtains
If you know how to use a drill, attach the roller curtains directly to the window opening. To do this, drill a certain number of holes in the ceiling or wall that are necessary to install the profiles that secure the fabric roller blinds.
DIY shortening
When shortening blinds, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Perform all actions very carefully, since most elements are very fragile and can be damaged.
- Make sure that the horizontal slats do not bend, since it is very difficult to straighten them, and the wooden planks will need to be completely replaced.
- Burn all ends of the cut fabric or cord with a flame or a hot iron; in the second case, use newspaper so that the melted synthetic materials do not stick to the hot metal.
- It is necessary to assemble/disassemble the structure in a certain order so as not to damage or confuse the elements.
- Use the tool that is suitable for working with a specific material.
If you adhere to all the rules outlined above, you can efficiently shorten both vertical and horizontal curtains.
Shortening the height or width of any type of blind requires certain skills. But all the steps are easy to follow if you follow the instructions provided. It is important not to use force, since the components of the design of such curtains are very fragile and can break.
