How to Make Easy DIY Roman Shades

How to Make DIY Roman Shades

1. Measure Your Window

   Measure the width and the length of the window as well as the inside mount and outside mount. Record the numbers as this will be the size of the finished shade.
   

2. Cut Your Fabric

   • Cut the home decor fabric 3 inches wider than the width of your window and 5 inches longer than the length of your window.
   • Cut the lining to be cut 1 inch less than the width of the window and the same length as the window. Set the rest of the lining fabric aside.

3. Sew Together the Fabric and Lining

   Sew your home decor fabric and lining fabric right sides together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Pin along the sides to hold everything in place.

4. Center the Lining

   • Lay the fabric piece you just sewed (still inside out) with the lining facing up.
   • Shift the lining to the center of the home decor fabric, causing some extra fabric to come up on both sides. Fold these sides down. You should have 1 inch of extra fabric on each side.
   • Press well with an iron and pin in place if needed.

5. Sew the Bottom of the Shade

   Pin the bottom of the shade, keeping the folds that you just created. Sew the entire length, including on top of the folds. Use 1/2-inch seam allowance.
   

6. Space and Cut Your Dowel Rods and Slat of Wood

   • Space the dowel rods evenly, with one being at the bottom of the shade. Dowel rods should be placed 9 to 14 inches apart.
   • Cut your dowel rods 1 inch shorter than the width of your window. This will ensure that the dowel rods won't hit the side of the window.
   • The slat of wood goes in the slot at the top of the shade and needs to be cut the width of the finished shade.
     

7. Mark for Dowel Pockets

   • Place the fabric wrong side up.
   • Use a ruler to make sure you get a straight line and take a fabric marker and mark where each dowel rod will go.

8. Make the Dowel Pockets

   Take your leftover lining fabric and cut 2-inch strips the length of your finished shade. You'll want to cut as many of these as you have dowel rods.

   Fold the strips in half and press with your iron. Sew the raw edges together using a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

9. Attach the Dowel Pockets

   Follow the fusible web instructions to attach the dowel pockets onto the back of the shade using the fusible web. Align them with the lines that you drew to make where the dowel rods go.

   Slide the dowel rods through each of the pockets you created.

10. Clip Corners and Turn

    • Use your scissors to clip the corners of your shade, being careful not to cut through any stitching.
    • Poke out the corners and press the shade edges with your iron.

11. Sew the Bottom Hem

    • Create a blind hem to neatly hem up the bottom of the Roman shade. To do this, fold the bottom of the shade up by 1/4 inch and press. Fold it up another 1 1/4 inches to hide the first hem.
    • Sew the hem with your sewing machine, being careful to sew in a straight line, because this stitching will be seen from the front.

12. Insert Slat of Wood

    Take your piece of wood and insert it into the top slot.

13. Sew on the Rings

    • Take a plastic ring and place it at the end of each dowel rod.
    • Hand-sew each ring on each side of the dowels. This will be where the curtain cord is guided through.

14. Insert the Eye Screws

    Insert the eye screws into the top right and the top left, attaching them to the slat of wood. They should be 3 inches from each end.

15. Finish and Mount the Roman Shade

    • Thread the thin nylon string through the eye screws and the plastic rings. The Roman shade can be lowered and raised by using both strings.
    • Mount the shade to your window and test it so that it moves up and down properly.

How to Make Roman Shades From Existing Blinds

It is possible to make Roman shades from existing blinds and mini blinds if you measure, cut, and pin the fabric properly, ensuring that it raises and lowers swiftly without bunching or getting caught. To turn your existing blinds into Roman shades, follow the below steps:

1. Choose the blind length. Lay down your blinds on a flat surface. Measure the window to determine the length of your shades. Pull down the blinds to your preferred length.
2. Remove slats. Cut the thicker strings that hold the blinds together on the front and back. Measure how long the shade will hang over the window (usually 7 inches) and divide the measurement by that number. This is how many slats you will need to leave on the blind strings. Remove the rest.
3. Arrange on the fabric. Place your chosen fabric facedown under the blind. Lay out the slats in 7-inch intervals, making sure to include the fabric that goes around the top of the blind. Mark the fabric for each fold and allow for an extra two inches of fabric on either slide of the slats.
4. Attach the fabric. Remove the stopper on the top of the bracket and cover the blind with fabric using fabric glue. Press and secure the fabric (clamp if necessary) until dry. Then, secure the fabric to the blinds where the areas are marked with fabric glue. Be sure to tuck the ends of the slats beneath the folded edges.
5. Attach the shade to the window. Wrap the fabric around the bottom bar of the blind and secure with fabric glue. Press until dried, then install your DIY Roman shade as you would regular blinds.