Create a simple Roman blind, a window covering that looks sleek and stylish on any window. Here are Mary Dobson’s instructions on how to make your own.
DIY Roman Shade
Materials required:
Fabric
Lining
Plastic rings
Cord
Soft side Velcro
Hard side Velcro and mounting board
Weight bar
Eye screws
Cord cleat
Staples and gun
Scissors
Pins
Thread
Directions:
Measure the flat width of the area to be covered. Add 4 inches to width. Determine the desired length and add approx 20 inches.
Cut one layer of fabric to this flat size. Cut one layer of lining to the same length, but do not add the four inches to the width.
Turn and press a double one inch hem down each side of the fabric. Aligning the top and bottom edges, tuck the side edges of the lining under the turned side hem. Machine stitch down each side through all layers.
Turn and press a 1 inch hem along the bottom edge. Turn again to the back 7 to 8 inches and press. Machine stitch through all layers at the very top edge of this turned hem. Stitch a second row about 1 inch down from the first row to form a pocket for the weight bar.
Beginning at the bottom and stopping within 10 inches of the top, measure up both sides every 8 inches and form a grid for plastic ring placement approx 8 inches apart in width as well.
Machine stitch a plastic rings at each of these increments using a wide satin stitch setting on your machine.
Stitch soft side Velcro to the top edge of your shade. Overcast the edge to finish and press to the back.
Insert the weight bar in the bottom pocket .
Staple hard side Velcro onto the mounting board. Attach eye screws to the mounting board in alignment with each vertical row of plastic rings. Finger press blind onto board with both layers of Velcro.
String cording up each vertical row of rings and carry the cording through into the eye screw directly above and then through any eye screws to its left. Tie off the cording at the bottom ring of each row with a triple knot and secure with a dot of glue on each.
Attach mounting board to the window as desired. Level shade by gently tugging on cords and once in place, tie all together in one knot. Braid the cords together for neatness and trim any excess at the bottom. Tie another knot at the bottom end. Use cord cleat to set blind at the desired position.
Note: for best results you should limit the width of the shade to approx
50 inches or less. You will have problems with the fabric lying flat if
you need to attach two sections together and you will find that the
shades will not raise and lower properly if they are too wide.
Instructions courtesy Mary Dobson