I have been searching for something cute, quick and inexpensive to do with the windows in our dinning room.  I have recently finished place mats for the table and a cafe curtain for our kitchen using some beautiful fabric I picked up on sale at JoAnns. Luckily I had enough left over to make a simple little window treatment for these two bare windows.

 

 

So, do you want to learn just how easy this little widow project is? Just click here to get the full tutorial.

What you’ll need:

Fabric – (I’ll explain how to calculate how much you  need in step 1)
Sewing Machine
Iron
Measuring tape and yardstick/ruler
Rotary cutter and mat (or scissors- won’t be quite as “easy”)
Straight pins
Tension Rod (2 per window)
Sewing gauge (also optional, but adds to “easiness”)

Step 1:

First decide what length you’d like the finished product to be, we’ll call this (L). Then measure the width of your window, we’ll call this (W).  Okay, now you have another decision to make: do you want it to be all one fabric (easiest), or do you want to have little side pieces like mine?

If you want just one fabric this is how you decide how much you’ll need:
Total Fabric Length = L + 4
Total Fabric Width = W + 2
So, for example, if your L = 16″ you would cut a piece of fabric 20″ long. This includes your hem allowances.
If your W = 30″ you would cut a piece of fabric with a width of 32″. Make sense?

If you want to have the little side pieces this is how you decide how much fabric you’ll need:
Side pieces (cut 2 of these, one for each side):
Total Fabric Length =  L + 4
Total Fabric Width = 4″
Main fabric piece (cut 1):
Total Fabric Length = L + 4
Total Fabric Width = W – 4
So, for example, if your L = 16″ and your W = 30″  you would cut 2 pieces of side fabric 20″ long and 4″ wide.
Then you would cut one piece of your main fabric 20″ long and 26″ wide.

Tips for cutting your fabric:

Iron before cutting!

Using a yard stick and rotary cutter make this step pretty easy. If you don’t have those tools you can use a yardstick and pencil or fabric marker to draw the lines on the wrong side of the fabric and then cut it out.

I like to fold my fabric some before cutting, so I’m not cutting such a long piece (i.e. fold in half so that I’m only cutting 15″ instead of 30″…but be very careful with this or you’ll cut the wrong thing! Been there, done that!)

Whew! That was the hardest part, trust me!

Step 2:

If you are using just one piece of main fabric skip this step and go on to step 3.  If doing little side pieces like me, keep reading!

With right sides together sew side pieces onto main fabric. Be sure to use 1/2″ seam allowance. Do this on both sides.

Now iron your seams, making sure to iron both seam allowances in the SAME direction. (This will make inserting the tension rod much easier.)

Step 3:

Using your sewing gauge, or measuring tape, make a 1/2″ double-folded hem on each side (length) of the fabric.  To do this:

Step 4:

Now following the same directions in step 3, hem the top and bottom, BUT this time make a 1″ double folded hem. You will be inserting the tension rods into these little pockets that you’re going to create.

Step 4:

Insert your tension rods and hang in your window!

I had a lot of fun making these, and hope you will too if you decide to give them a try.  I’d love to know if anyone uses this tutorial. This is my first sewing tutorial, so please give feedback!

I’m linking up to:

 

http://todayscreativeblog.net/