DIY Hidden Tab Chevron Curtains...

As part of Hallie's bedroom makeover, we were in need of some curtains. I wished more than anything that I could walk into a store and find curtains I liked. Why can't stores like Target carry a better selection? Is that too much to ask? Okay, so they have limited floor space, yada yada...but on-line is unlimited carry a better selection for crying out loud. I have had some luck in the past at stores like Z Gallerie, West Elm and Pottery Barn/Kids. But this go around I searched diligently for the perfect curtains but nothing quite matched the vision I had for the room.

So I started searching for fabric when my sister sent me a picture of a pillow she made in her sewing class. It was yellow chevron and it would match the room perfectly. It would be too easy to find the fabric locally so I ended up purchasing it from fabric.com, three yards for each panel. It sat on my craft counter for three months. I was busy working on other things in her room and I never made time for the curtains. I knew my time in Idaho would be the ideal time to make them.

There is something about sewing on my mom's machine that I love. It's nothing fancy, in fact it's probably 20+ years old. But it's the machine I learned on and it's comfortable.

DIY HIDDEN TAB CURTAINS:
Step one- Cut the fabric to size. I kept the original width and decided on 96" (floor to ceiling length) panels. I made a four inch top casing and a 3 1/2 inch hem, with an additional 1/2 in to hide the raw edge on both hems.

Step two- I cut "guides" out of a sturdy cardstock to ensure a consistent hem. I placed the guide on the fabric and then iron the fabric directly over it ensuring the correct hem size.

After using the 1/2" guide, I then use the hem size guide. You can also measure often, I just find the guides easier and faster. I made a 1/2" (turning under on all four sides to hide the raw edge), 1" (Side hems), 3 1/2" (bottom hem), 4" (top hem) guide.

Step three- Using the 1/2" guide, and then the 1 inch guide I ironed and sewed both sides.

Step four- Using the 3 1/2" guide, I ironed and sewed the bottom hem.

Step five- Using the 4" guide, I ironed the top, but did not sew yet.

Step six- I created 14 2" tabs (7 for each panel). I cut 4"x6" rectangles. I sewed a half inch hem (using also a half inch of fabric turned under to hide the raw edge), making the finished width two inches. I then used an inch on the top and bottom folded under and ironed to attach to the panel.

Step seven- I pinned each tab on the top of my panel and spaced them out evenly and sewed.

Step eight- I tucked 1 inch underneath the folded portion of the top hem and sewed all the way across. This allows you to hang the panels as a pole pocket or hidden tabs, you choose.

And before too long you have two panels that will change your entire space!

I finished them the day before leaving Idaho and I couldn't wait to hang them up. Of course then I got home and experienced the curtain rod debacle. Perhaps I'm the only one who has this debacle, but it happens every time I buy rods. I go to every store that carries rods and come home with two from every store. Different colors, different finials, different diameters. So then I come home and hold all of them up. Most times they never even make it out of the box before I toss it aside to the returns pile. But it is always a process.

Hallie's room was no exception and he even more so because of her weird window angles. I had already decided against four panels for her space because with the pattern it was too much and the windows are so close that it would cover up more of the window than I like. Which leaves one window without coverings. I think I might buy one more rod and run it across the middle window just for decoration and balance - of course when I went back the store was out of the ones I purchased! Go figure.