You can do it! - by Cindy

Can I do this? I have never made anything like this before?

There is absolutely no reason why you should not be able to make a beautiful pair of curtains or a roman blind following our step by step instructions. We leave nothing out, we go into utmost detail so you are not left asking yourself questions, we demonstrate every stitch individually and we make a full size blind, not a mini mock up.

Having said that, there are a few considerations that will help you on your way. It’s really sensible to consider your ability, fabric, lining, equipment and size of your project before you start to give yourself the confidence and knowledge you need for a successful project.

I know it can be a bit of a drag to read around the subject but I thoroughly recommend looking through our guide below where we look at all the elements listed above so you can move on to the tutorial with the knowledge for a successful project.

Your Ability

Many of our users have never made a blind or curtain in their life and this has been their introduction to soft furnishings. Only you know yourself but I would say that if you are looking at this page, then you are clearly interested in sewing and have a desire to make your own.

The main thing is to take your time, be prepared, read through all the written instructions first so that you have an understanding of the process and what you might need before you actually start the project. The videos will take you step by step through every aspect of the making. The trickiest part of blind making is cutting your lining and fabric panels totally square with straight and parallel sides and perfect right angles which is rarely mentioned in many instructions so I demonstrate a method to ensure that you get off on the right foot to ensure your blind will be even and straight when made.

If you have sewn before and/or made furnishings previously, then you will have no problem following our tutorials and many do as a way of improving their skills or are looking for a professional method. Others have checked out the cost of made to measure and realise that you will save £££’s making your own and we also have customers who follow our tutorials, love it so much, they have turned it into a business.

There is an Ask Cindy button at every stage of the process where you can ask questions and we aim to reply within 12 - 24 hours, if not sooner.

Fabric.

The biggest problem that you may encounter is fabric choice. If you are new to making, then fabric choice is key as some are easier to work with than others.

Plain fabric is the easiest as you do not need to take pattern repeats into account when calculating fabric amounts and joining fabric panels is very straight forward. If making a blind with plain fabric, I recommend one that has some texture to it. This will hide the stab stitches, whereas they show up more in a totally smooth plain.

Next thing to consider is fabric content. If you are new to sewing, avoid 100% linens, velvets, fabrics with high viscose content and very thick weaves. You’re probably thinking “what is left?” Cotton - super easy to handle, can be ironed, does not wriggle around and makes up really well. Cotton/linen mixes are also ok as the cotton gives the linen more stability.

If you want to go for a pattern, then printed cottons, printed linen/cotton mixes, again, are great options.

What if you really want to make up with linen? Linen is an expensive product - good quality linens. The cheaper ones tend to have a low thread count and are harder to work with. The pricier ones tend (not always) to be denser (higher thread count) and consequently less tricky. Linens, if not handled correctly, will end up with a saggy blind or curtain as the fabric droops.

Polyester can be ok but you can’t iron it so it’s harder to achieve nice folds. Polyester fabrics have come a long way over the years and you can get some that look good but I am a sucker for natural fabrics all day long.

Lining

There are so many different types of lining available on the market and it’s a bit of a minefield if you are new to making and it’s a common misconception that any old lining will do. Not so, particularly for blinds. Using the right lining can make all the difference between a successful project and one that gives you no end of problems.

For all my projects I use a cotton rich lining, made by Evans Textiles Wholesaler (Trade only) and I buy it in 50m roles. This same lining is available through retailers, so you just need to google it to find it online. I use Almond colour as I find it less nicotine yellow. It is called DB1. I would not use anything else for Roman blinds. I also use it for curtains but other good quality linings could work.

Good quality is a must for Roman Blind making as the lining mentioned above is crisp, has great body, not thin, and is easy to handle.

Equipment

This is an interesting one and will depend on your project.

For cushions, we will show you the best sewing machine feet to use and these will probably have to be purchased separately (they rarely come with the machine) so this would be an additional potential cost if using piping or inserting an invisible zip.

For blind and curtain making, all you need is a basic sewing machine that can sew a straight stitch. The only potential issue here is when making hand pleated, interlined curtains. This is because you will be sewing through multiple layers when it comes to the stage for sewing in the backs of the pleats.

In our tutorials, we will show you the best sewing machine needles to use, how to anticipate issues in advance of making or how to get round this problem if you are struggling at this stage.

Other than a sewing machine, all you really need is pins, needles, a fabric marker, a steel tape measure and thread.

If you get into sewing and want to make more, then we recommend investing in a metal metre rule, grid ruler, set square …… and all equipment we use in the projects are listed at the beginning.

Size of your Project

It never fails to amaze me the size of some of the projects that our users have made and sent us pics of. They are outstanding and really pleased that they have been able to achieve such amazing results from our tutorials.

Having said that, I always recommend starting off small if you are new to making. Lined roman blinds up to 1 m wide by 1.3 m long are perfect as are pencil pleat, lined sill length curtains for poles up to 180cm long.

This is not to say that you should restrict yourself but the problem with larger projects is having the space to lay everything out flat and straight.

When I bought my first house, I made 2 width pairs of curtains on my living room floor. I don’t think my back or knees would cope with that these days but it’s definitely possible if you’re up to it.

When making roman blinds, it’s really useful to have a flat space large enough to contain the entire roman blind size such as a dining room table.

Again, if you plan to make several roman blinds or curtains, it might be worth investing in a piece of hardboard or MDF, covering it with some lining fabric and laying this on your floor or dining table to work on but make sure you protect any furniture underneath .

Key to Successful Making

Before you start your project, ready through all the instructions thoroughly so that you understand the process. Ideally watch all the videos too as you may have a question that is answered later on in the process. This way, everything fits into place and you fully understand the process.

Give your self plenty of time and don’t be tempted to rush anything as this is when mistakes will happen.

If you do make a mistake, you will have to unpick. It’s frustrating but it’s part of the learning curve so don’t let it put you off. I have made many over the years!

If you make a mistake with a roman blind lining, you may have to scrap it and start again.

Check, check and triple check your measurements - once a fabric is cut, it can’t be stuck back together again.

Keep fabric and lining as flat as possible throughout the process, moving it as little as possible once you started the actual make up (not obviously when making up lining and face fabrics).

If you’re having a bad day, then just leave it alone. I get the odd day (my mind is on other things, not feeling well) and I know that these are the days when I am most likely to make a mistake. It’s just not worth it.

Put on your favourite songs, podcasts, radio station or audio book and just get sewing. You will be amazed at what you can achieve and feel so proud of yourself. Not to mention saving £££’S along the way. You never know….this might be the start of something BIG!!!