Tutorial - Simple Window Shades

For these easy-sew shades you only need a few things:

-Fabric to cover your window (plus a bit extra)
-Ribbon (the height of your window x 4)

You also need a tension bar and all the usual sewing tools. Fray Check is handy if you have it.

Start by measuring the inside of your window. Add 4 inches to the width and 3.5 inches to the height. (Or you can do 4 just to keep it simple.)
Cut your fabric to this dimension.
For example:
window width = 20in + 4 = 24 in
window height = 40 in + 3.5 = 43.5 in

Starting with a long edge and with the right side DOWN on the ironing board, turn up the edge 0.5 inch and press all along the length.


Do you like my fancy blue pressing cloth that looks remarkably like an old bath towel? Yup, we're classy around here.

Once you've pressed up a half inch, do it again so you have a nice double folded edge.

You don't have to use a ruler. There won't be a test later. Just eyeball if you're lazy like me. (I only pulled out the ruler for these pics :)

Some people would pin the edge down at this point. I didn't. Again, lazy.

Sew a seam along the inside edge of the fold.

Do the same thing to the other long side. Then do it again on both short sides (the width). Just be careful at the beginning and ending of the short sides because you're sewing through a lot of fabric. Go slow.

Now go back to the ironing board, with the shade right side DOWN again. Fold up one of the short sides (this will be the TOP of your shade) to 1.5 inches. You want to be accurate here so the shade will hang straight. Press well, pin if you want.

Sew a seam close to the edge. Go super slow at the beginning and end or you'll get a broken needle. Be sure to reverse stitch on both ends to secure the seam.

Give the whole shebang a good pressing.

Slide the tension rod into your rod pocket.
(That sounds dirty, but it's actually quite mundane, see?)

Hang the rod.
Cut your ribbon into two pieces, each the height of your window x 2.
Hang them over the tension rod and shade like so:

I used Fray Check on the ends of the ribbons to keep 'em looking good.

Tie your ribbons at the desired height, and primp the shade a bit to get it the way you like it. And voila!


Much better.
Only cost about $15 and a half-hour of work per window.