How to sew a French curtain: preparation and sewing technology

Date: 03/27/2015 Comments: Rating: 22

No home is complete without such a significant element as curtains. They make the room look cozy and warm, so the choice of such details must be approached with all responsibility.

French curtains are popular today. They are perfect for various interiors and can be used regardless of the purpose of the room. Despite the fact that many stores offer similar products for every taste, you can try to sew French curtains yourself.

French curtains are used in rooms decorated in Empire, Baroque, classical or neoclassical styles.

To do this, you just need to have some sewing skills and know how to handle fabric and a sewing machine. Having desire and imagination, you can start working.

Material calculation

The first thing you should do before sewing French curtains is to calculate the material that will be required.

The appearance of the finished products depends on how correctly this is done. It should be remembered that in this case you will need a fairly large amount of fabric; you won’t be able to save money. Otherwise, the folds on the curtain will not be airy and lush.

To make calculations, you first need to measure the window. The width of the fabric should be chosen as follows: 1.5 times the width of the window and add 4-6 cm for allowances. The length of the fabric is calculated as follows: 2 multiply by the distance from the floor to the cornice at the top and add 7 cm (2 cm for the allowances at the top and 5 cm for the allowances at the bottom).

Varieties of French curtains.

These values can be calculated using a more complex form, but first, it’s better to learn how to sew a French curtain with easy calculations and without unnecessary numerical values.

When calculating the materials, you can immediately find out the amount of special braid that will be required for sewing. You can calculate it by multiplying the height of the entire canvas by the number of scallops and adding the height of the cut of the curtain itself. All that remains is to find out how many festoons will be on the curtain.

Their number will depend on how large the window on which the finished curtains will be placed is. So, for large windows, wide sections are usually made. Their size can be about 50-60 cm.

It is better to make small flounces for tall and narrow windows. The width of the section in this case can be about 25-45 cm. Therefore, everyone can make the required number of festoons based on their wishes.

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After all the calculations have been made, you can go for the necessary materials.

In order for your DIY French curtains to turn out beautiful, you need to choose the most suitable fabric that will be easy to work with. First of all, the fabric should be elastic and soft. In addition, it should drape well and fit smoothly into the folds.

Calculation table for scallops for French curtains.

Basically, fabrics such as silk, satin, wool, organza and similar tulles are suitable for this. They have a smooth texture and can be of any color and shade. This will allow you to choose the right material that matches the overall style of the room.

Despite the fact that it is best to use such lightweight fabrics, recently products with a denser texture have also become popular. They produce rigid folds that are distinguished by their splendor and volume. Such French curtains can be complemented with frills, fringe or lambrequin.

When going to the store for the most suitable fabric, you should immediately purchase other materials that will be needed for sewing. First of all, it is a narrow drapery ribbon.

It is a braid with rings through which cords will be threaded to raise the curtain to the required height. In addition, you need to stock up on a large number of pins, needles, threads and other small parts that will help you make curtains with your own hands. You should also purchase a fastening tape with which the curtain will be hung on the curtain rod.

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After all the necessary materials have been purchased, you can begin cutting the curtains with your own hands and preparing them for sewing. To begin with, the purchased piece of fabric must be laid out on a large table and straightened out well. The bottom edges should be trimmed so that they are even.

After this, they need to be tucked, basted and stitched on a typewriter. This also applies to the sides, which should also be pre-treated. Regardless of the fabric, the edges need to be ironed well so that the product looks neat.

Now the fabric should be divided into vertical lines, marking on them the location and required number of scallops and the step size, which can vary from 12 to 24 cm depending on the wishes and size of the window. In order for the curtain to look neat and the folds to form a beautiful drapery, it is necessary to make darts on top. They are located along vertical lines downwards.

The width of the darts can be from 6 to 14 cm, and the length will depend on the height of the curtains. You can see the detailed calculation where everything is marked in detail. Having marked all the necessary lines on the fabric, you can begin sewing.

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The future curtain should be placed face down and the tape should be pinned along the prepared vertical lines. It should also be located on the side edges. After this, the braid is carefully sewn on a machine.

To make it more convenient to work, you can first baste the braid by hand. It will take a little longer, but the work will be more accurate. You need to thread the laces into this braid and secure them.

You need to sew a fastening tape on top, with which the curtain will be draped and hung on the cornice. To the bottom edge, which is pre-hemmed, you can sew special weights, which are sold in a sewing store.

This will give a better look and keep the drapes vertical. Now you need to pull all the cords vertically. The resulting folds should be distributed evenly and adjusted exactly to the length of the window.

Using ribbons, all cords are secured in the desired position. You also need to distribute the horizontal lines evenly, which are also adjusted to the size of the window. All that remains is to fasten the curtains to the strip, which will be attached to the cornice.

Thus, it is quite possible to sew French curtains yourself. The first time it may not work out as well as you want, but next time it will be easier.

Knowing the sewing technology and some of the subtleties in this matter, you can not be afraid to experiment.

It’s worth trying to sew several versions of such products, make curtains from other fabrics, and everything will work out. And although making such a curtain with your own hands takes a lot of time, the result will exceed all expectations.

Classic never goes out of fashion, and French curtains on the windows are another proof of this.

They will effectively decorate an apartment or house, giving the room charm, aristocracy, and elegance. “The eyes of the house,” as windows are poetically called in Russia and France, will indeed be transformed in this way. Making French curtains with your own hands is not so difficult if you follow the steps step by step.

Varieties of French curtains.

There are several types of these decorative items, but it is better to start with those that require a minimum investment of time and skills. Beginners are usually advised to choose simple models and gradually move on to more complex ones. The first thing you need to figure out is how to calculate the fabric for the curtain, because it will be very disappointing if ten centimeters of fabric are not enough to make the item.

Features of curtain hooks

Before forming the drapery, the curtain must be ironed well. The hooks should already be selected in size and material, depending on the format of the curtain and the fabric used. For their production the following are used:

metal-plastic, reliable and safe;
metal; usually aluminum, brass or steel;
High quality plastic, one of the new generation materials.

Attach hooks to the curtain with your own hands at an equal distance of 8 - 10 cm.

Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages

Metal-plastic is the most optimal for the production of fasteners. Its price is affordable with high quality. Many consider it an ideal base for making curtain hooks. They hold their shape remarkably well and are completely silent in operation.
Plastic ones are the cheapest, they move silently along the ledge. They are suitable for light to medium weight curtains. The disadvantage is considered to be low strength. Over time, they lose their shape, and the composition on the window opening no longer looks so impressive.
Metal hooks are the most expensive, but also the most reliable. They do not deform and securely fix the canvas, preventing it from sliding down. Their “noisiness” is considered a significant disadvantage. In addition, if they are made from cheap, low-quality metal, the products will rust, leaving dirty marks.

If the choice was made on metal fasteners, you should give preference to stainless steel.

Made from lightweight fabric using the simplest calculations possible

Sometimes French curtains are confused with Austrian ones.

There is a significant difference between things. The former can be combined with lambrequins and curtains. French curtains can be of any length, but the most relevant is the one that reaches the floor.

And French products have scallops over the entire surface of the canvas. There are various methods for calculating the amount of fabric needed for sewing. You can use a special table for curtain cutters (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Table for curtain cutters. Using it, it is quite easy to calculate the number of scallops and the distance between them, guided by the width of the curtain fabric.

But there is another option: measure the length and height of the window opening, multiply each value by 2. This way, by simple calculation, the width and height of the fabric needed for the curtain will be determined. It is better not to sew the first curtains with your own hands from expensive materials. Moreover, one of the advantages of things made for the interior decoration of a house in the French style is their sophistication.

Even if the product is made of inexpensive material, it will look representative. There is a simple technology for creating such a spectacular decor. You will need the following materials and tools: wooden cornice; dense material for decorating it; fabric; braid; tape; nails for fastening the cornice; hooks for fabric; rings made of plastic or metal; cord - best made of nylon; fasteners; lifting handle ;paper;scissors;ruler;pencil;chalk;threads;needle;pins;iron. Tools for sewing French curtains. First of all, you need to prepare a curtain pattern; you can also make a sketch of it with preliminary marking of the fabric parameters on a scale. When calculating the length of the curtain, you need to add approximately 10 cm for the side seams.

The hem will require less fabric. The addition to it is usually 2-3 cm. If the fabric chosen for the item is thick, it makes sense to add another 1 cm to the hem. The pattern parameters are transferred to the material. It is cut.

If you need to make French curtains that are large in size, pins are used to ensure that the fabric does not move when cutting. After cutting, you can immediately begin assembling the item. First of all, you need to iron the side edges. To do this, step back 3 cm from the sides. Turn the ironed edges and begin cutting the braid.

At first glance, the second task seems simple, because all you need to do is measure the braid and divide it into equal sections using scissors. But you must immediately take into account: if the braid, like the fabric, is calculated incorrectly, you will not be able to make high-quality French curtains with your own hands. The length of the braid directly depends on the parameters of the fabric, but it is best to measure it with a margin - add 5% of the required value and add to there is another 3 cm for each segment (for the hem). For sewing work, it is better to purchase a three-cord braid.

It is always attached to the wrong side of the fabric. Pattern of a French curtain. French curtains can have almost any number and size of scallops. To correctly calculate their number, you need to take into account the texture of the fabric, its color, and the interior style of the room where you plan to place the French curtains. Beginning craftswomen should not strive to immediately create things with the maximum number of festoons. The best option would be if the experimental model has 5 scallops per 3 meters of canvas width.

How much to retreat, how to sew and where to pull?

After attaching the cord, the next step is to install the rings.

Modern fittings are made of metal and plastic. The first material is considered more durable, but for light curtains it is still better to choose plastic. The places where the rings are attached should be marked with chalk, a simple pencil or pins.

Beginners make a common mistake: the rings that are located at the bottom of the canvas are lowered very low. Correctly positioned lower rings of a French curtain will always be 5 cm higher than its edge. Another mistake is the distance between the rings being too large or small, or more precisely, between their rows.

The best option is a gap of 30 cm. It is also important to correctly measure the distance between the upper rings and the braid. The standard option is 12 cm - this is how much you need to retreat from the top edge of the fabric before you start sewing on the top row of fittings.

French curtains are perfect for a classic interior with antique furniture.

The process of attaching the rings themselves to French curtains is also important. Correctly fasten the rings with just a few stitches; only two knots are made on the thread. After sewing on all the rings, they proceed to pulling out the cords from the braid.

It is imperative to monitor the uniformity of the folds during this operation and correct it. As soon as the French curtains reach the required length for the window, they need to be fixed. To perform this operation, the cords are secured at the top edge and neatly tied together.

The size of the border should be equal to the length of the cornice. To prevent the knots of the cords from becoming too unfastened, it is necessary to take measures: the knots are tied as close as possible to the curtain fabric - and the problem is solved. All that remains is to cut off the excess sections of the cords and move on to the next stage of work - installation of the product.

How to calculate the amount of tape for curtains

For corrugated or other pull-cord tapes, the amount of tape purchased should be equal to the width of the cut.

Gathered tapes have pockets that are used to create counter pleats. If you want your curtains to look professional, the gathered tape should be positioned so that you start and end at the gap between the pleats.

To make sure you have enough tape for proper placement, buy an amount equal to the cut width of both curtains, plus four extra spaces (between gathers). If you are using equal pocket tape for spacing, then you will need to first determine how many pockets the space between your pleats (gathers) is equal to. Always check the manufacturer's instructions.

Before sewing your curtains, check to see if you need to adjust the cut width with the appropriate drapery tape. First, divide the width of the cut by half the length of the gaps. For gathers (folds) at intervals of 10 cm, divide by 2; for pleats at 9cm intervals, divide by 1.75. This calculation will tell you how many spaces between pleats there should be on each panel. When calculating curtain tape, round all fractional numbers to whole numbers.

Next, count the number of gaps on your gathered tape and measure the distance from the start of the first gap to the end of the last. This distance, plus 12.5 cm for hem allowance, should be equal to the width of your curtain cut. If this is not the case, you will need to increase the cut width accordingly. The extra width will “sit” the curtains at the top of the curtain rod when they are hung.

We sew decorations for the “eyes of the house” in the French style

It is impossible to imagine classic French curtains without a cornice covered with dense fabric; the better the materials used for this operation, the more expensive the item. The same tape that was used to install the canvas is perfect for covering the cornice; you just need to pull the cords out of it.

Hooks are sewn onto the tape covering the cornice, then French curtains are attached to them. After this, another tape must be attached to the assembly tape. Then the curtain is leveled and installed on the cornice.

Hooks attached to the canvas are screwed into the eaves beam. From bottom to top, cords are simultaneously pulled into the rings and the edges of those cords that are fixed at the top of the canvas are passed through the rings. All ends of the cords are brought to one side and pulled together so that the folds, which are the most important component of French curtains, are uniform.

A few finishing touches

And now the finishing touches remain: the cornice is installed above the window. If you remove the ribbons holding the French curtains, the curtain will lower. But first you need to adjust the tension so that the item is comfortable to use and lasts a long time.

The cords are connected into a knot. There is an important nuance here: the knot is tied so that it falls on the last hook. The cords are threaded through the lifting handle, 46 cm away from the first knot and another key curtain knot is tied.

The fastener is necessary in order to fix the desired position of the blade. To accomplish this task, a cord is wrapped around it. Only after this the curtain is considered fully secured.

Curtains sewn using French technology are a magnificent decoration in themselves, but they can be given an even more elegant look if you take care of decorating the product.

One of the options for decorating curtains is light rhinestones attached to their edges; they will create a play of light in the room. An equally interesting move is a lambrequin made of contrasting or plain fabric.

This combination of decorative items will look especially stylish in the living room.

If after making the curtains there is some fabric left, this is a great option to transform familiar interior items. For a sofa, for example, you can make a pillow decorated with festoons, and for a coffee table - a decorative napkin. Even a familiar blanket will change if its edging is done in the same color scheme as the curtains.

French curtains are a wide canvas, gathered into lush folds, the edge of which falls in folds. Curtains can consist of several sections or just one.

A window decorated with French curtains instantly transforms a room into a luxurious space. Usually soft folds of fabric are located evenly throughout the curtain. The window opening looks elegant and elegant.

Let's look into history

French curtains arose in the era of classicism. They are distinguished by pomp and emphasized luxury of draperies. They were made from the most expensive fabrics and decorated with rich trim at the bottom edge.

Often - with expensive handmade lace. Our contemporaries primarily associate such curtains with rich royal apartments and luxurious interiors of the 18th century. Although they already existed since the 14th century.

Traditionally, in our time, lush, expensive curtains are used in rooms where solemnity is emphasized - most often in public interiors. In private ones, they are used mainly when it comes to following a certain style. In the classic style, soft flowing lines of curtains are considered the most successful.

Today, these curtains are experiencing an increase in popularity. They decorate large halls, cozy bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms. They even decorate the windows in the kitchen!

Different types of mechanisms

Despite their lush appearance, French curtains have an ingeniously simple design.

A single piece of fabric is used to make them. Cords are threaded through rows of loops on the wrong side. If you pull them, the fabric itself folds into soft folds, forming scallops at the bottom.

Curtains can be:

Static - fixed motionless.

They do not move to the side, do not rise or fall. Such curtains are usually made from chiffon, organza and other translucent airy fabrics. They are intended only for decoration and replace tulle. Lifting ones carry a functional load.

They are designed to shade a room. Using a lifting mechanism, they can be lifted and secured with a lock. At the same time, the curtains gather even more into lush folds, hanging in beautiful “clusters”.

There is no need to confuse French curtains with Austrian ones. The models are indeed similar with their lush folds, the principle of the lifting mechanism, and a solid fabric.

French curtains have beautiful folds along the entire length of the canvas. Even if you lower the curtain to its full length, it will retain its folded pomp. Austrian curtains are gathered into folds at the bottom.

Features of hanging tulle

The comfort and originality of the room’s interior depends on the ability to correctly design and place tulle. To make it look elegant and beautiful, you need to take into account all the nuances of handling tulle curtains.

After the curtain tape is attached to it, you need to tighten the cords (cords) tightly so that they do not pull out when tightening.

If necessary, they can be tied into knots, but be sure to check their tightness.

Note! In order for the curtain to stay tight and not slip, and also to present a complete composition, it is necessary to secure the clips and hooks. In this case, the number of loops on them should be the same.

French curtains in the kitchen

Lush curtains with flowing festoons decorated the state rooms and bedrooms of the French court nobility. A spectacular technique was used in the design of theater premises.

And even after almost three hundred years, French curtains create the impression of success and respectability. Moreover, nowadays they decorate not only living rooms or romantic bedrooms, but also cozy kitchens. There is more than one reason to decorate a window with such a curtain, it would seem, not in the most solemn place of the house:

Short draperies will provide easy access to the window. And thanks to the soft scallops, they look much more respectable than Roman blinds or roller structures. If necessary, they are perfectly combined with other window decor - long curtains, narrow lambrequins. Thanks to the plasticity with which the curtain changes the splendor of the folds, it looks great both on a small narrow window and on a fairly large one. wide window opening. Lush folds perfectly close the room from prying eyes, so it can be used even in the kitchen on the ground floor without blinds or thick curtains.

French curtains in the kitchen are an ideal addition not only to expensive styles (respectable classics, elaborate baroque, harmonious renaissance, pompous empire style). They will fit perfectly into the interior of a kitchen in country style, light Provence, or aristocratic English style.

How to hang curtains with curtain tape on hooks

Before using the tape, it is a good idea to know the features of this type of fastening in order to understand how to hang curtains on curtain tape on hooks.

This method is the most common and quite simple.

They are mounted on wooden, metal or plastic ceiling or wall cornices, but it is possible to decorate a window opening without using them. To do this, special wall fastenings are installed at an equal distance from each other.

What is a French window

Panoramic glazing - from floor to ceiling, called a French window. It gives you the opportunity to admire the world outside the window.

If the apartment is located on the first floor of a high-rise building, and its windows overlook the neighboring house or garages, there is simply no point in such a window. In addition, such redevelopment will require permits from several organizations.

But if you have built a house where you can implement various ideas, then French windows can be combined with access to the terrace.

Interior designers recommend various curtains for a French window:

vertical or horizontal blinds; roller blinds; interesting pleated curtains; an alternative to all the types of curtains listed above - Roman blinds; French curtains.

The type of curtains is determined by the style direction of the interior.

Advantages

Velcro curtains are suitable for creating a laconic design.
The popularity of the Velcro fastening method is explained by the combination of the classic look of the canvas and convenient operation without the use of a curtain rod. Velcro curtains have a number of advantages:

serve for a long time, Velcro does not lose its quality after washing;
easy installation, a frame without a cornice is used;
take up little space, use minimal space;
convenient to remove, wash and attach with Velcro;
there is a wide choice among models (Roman, Austrian, roller blinds, curtains with loops);
dry and iron quickly.

We sew ourselves

If you want to decorate your windows with spectacular curtains, sewing French curtains with your own hands is quite simple.

Before you start, you need to prepare everything you need. Mandatory condition: we create the decor only on a sewing machine. To sew French curtains you will need:

Textile. How much is needed is calculated using a simple method. Decorative finishing.

This can be braid, lace, fringe. Let's look at how to sew French curtains using an awning as an example. You will need 180 cm of trim. Threads suitable for the selected fabric. Tailor's scissors, pins, for measuring you can take a centimeter tape or just a long ruler.

First of all, you should calculate the required amount of fabric.

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Footage calculation

How to sew French curtains with your own hands?

Step-by-step instructions are given for kitchen curtains. Using the principles of the technique, you can calculate and sew curtains for any window. Even in French.

For example, let’s take a window size of 100 x 170 cm, where the height is 170 cm and the width is 100 cm. A finished French curtain for such a window needs a size of 120 x 150 cm. It covers its edges well and does not reach the window sill by 20 cm .

The required amount of fabric is calculated:

canvas width 120 x 1.5 = 180 cm; height 150 x 2 = 300 cm.

We carry out the calculation further.

The curtain is planned to be assembled on a drawstring. Therefore, you will have to add another 15 cm to the resulting cutting width. The final width is 195 cm.

If you want to take a gathering braid, then you do not need to add 15 cm.

Fabric calculations are proposed for curtains that will be gathered into soft folds using the “awning” model.

An awning is a French curtain consisting of one scallop. In the example window we will make two festoons.

Their number can be determined independently at will, taking into account the width of the room’s window. Since the awning model will consist of two festoons, three drawstrings need to be made on the canvas: two at the edges and one in the middle. For a wide window, you can plan more scallops - three or four. Then the number of drawstrings will increase.

Choosing the right fabric

In order for the folds to lie beautifully, and for the curtain to be light and slightly let in light, it is better to choose a soft translucent fabric. You need to consider what room the curtains are being sewn for.

The choice of fabric and model of French curtains depends on this. Curtains with lots of ruffles or flounces look romantic in the bedroom. In this case, the fabric is preferably pastel in color and should be soft so that it can drape easily.

The living room harmoniously combines light draperies and heavy curtains.

But awnings for the kitchen can be sewn from translucent organza. It is enough to keep the folds to a minimum. When everything you need is prepared, we get to work.

Sewing instructions

If the fabric may shrink, it should be dampened and ironed before starting work. Can be treated with a steamer if it is not thin natural silk. After this procedure, you will be sure that after the first wash your curtains will not become smaller than the window.

Let's start cutting. You need to cut out a rectangle. We have already calculated its dimensions.

So, we create French curtains with our own hands. Step-by-step instruction:

Cut a 15 cm wide strip along the entire length of the fabric.

Make three drawstrings out of it. To do this, cut the strip lengthwise into three parts 5 cm wide. Fold the long edges of each resulting strip inside out by about 0.5 cm and iron them.

Fold in half and stitch. That's it, the drawstrings are ready. Process the bottom of the curtain. Fold the edge 2 cm and stitch. Now it’s time for the pockets for the drawstrings.

Sew pockets along the entire length of the curtains along the edges and in the center. For a pocket in the middle, fold the curtain in half lengthwise. The front side should be facing inward.

Sew, departing 1 cm from the fold. Sew along the entire length of the curtain, not reaching the edge by 2.5 cm. This will make it possible to sew the fringe to the bottom edge of the curtain. Now create the side pockets.

Fold the edges of the curtains on the sides by 1 cm and stitch. Decorate the bottom of the curtain with decor along the entire width. You can sew fringe, lace, decorative braid. To decorate the top of the awning under the cornice, fold the top edge of the fabric 5 cm, stitch. Using a safety pin, insert the drawstrings into the prepared pockets. Place the curtain on the cornice, tighten the drawstrings to the desired length. Instead, you can use a regular household cord.

Sewing such a curtain is easy and pleasant.

With your own hands you have made a stylish element for the interior of your kitchen. Now the sewing principle is clear. You can take on larger curtains for the bedroom or living room.

How to properly and beautifully hang tulle on a curtain tape

If very thin and delicate fabric was purchased for the curtain, when decorating it, it is important to know how to hang the tulle on hooks, and to be extremely careful and attentive, avoiding unnecessary punctures of the fabric, so as not to deform it.

The braid sewn to the curtain allows you to decorate the window opening in an original way and drape the curtain with soft waves.

It should be noted right away that to work with such thin materials, you will need transparent or translucent tape. It is available in various widths. The craftswoman decides which one is suitable for decoration.

Curtain braid is a simple, quick way to hang light tulle, curtains or heavy curtains.

Before hanging tulle curtains, you will need:

measure and carefully trim the fabric,
cut off excess;
process the edges and cut areas.

After this, you can sew the ribbon in the following order:

bend the top edge to the width of the strip;
carefully iron the edge of the fold;
Tuck the edges inward and attach it to the edge of the ironed fold line, which will prolong its service.

As a rule, narrow (2.5-4 cm) braids are used on curtains where drapery is not needed.

Additional Information. Before starting work, it is necessary to wash the fabric so as not to spoil the finished curtain if it suddenly happens that the material shrinks after washing.