Making a Stationary Roman Shade
- 1). Measure the inside height and width of your window frame using a measuring tape. Add one inch to your width measurement to allow for seams. Add 12 inches to your length measurement to allow for pleating of the fabric. Cut both your shade fabric and lining fabric to these measurements.
- 2). Place your lining and shade fabrics together on a flat work surface so the right sides are facing each other. Use straight pins to pin the two fabrics together along the edges with a half inch seam allowance. Use your sewing machine to sew the fabric together along the pins, leaving a five-inch opening at one end.
- 3). Remove all the straight pins. Use the five-inch opening to turn your fabric right side out. Fold the edges of the opening inward and use a slip stitch to close it.
- 4). Lay your fabric flat on your work surface with the shade fabric facing up. Use your measuring tape to mark a line two inches down from the top of the fabric. Mark the line going across the width of your fabric with straight pins. Use your sewing machine to sew along this line. Remove the pins. Open the seam a half inch on the edge of your fabric right above the seam you just made. This opening is for your tension rod.
- 5). Use your measuring tape to mark a line three inches from the bottom of your fabric. Mark the line across the width of the fabric with straight pins. Sew along this line as you did in the previous step, removing the straight pins and opening the seam a half inch on the side of the fabric. This makes a dowel-rod pocket.
- 6). Repeat Step 5; however, instead of measuring three inches from the bottom of the fabric, measure up one inch from the pocket you just made. Mark the line with straight pins, sew the line and remove the pins before opening the seams at the side. This makes a second dowel pocket.
- 7). Insert one dowel rod into each of the two pockets. Use a slip stitch to close the openings you made in the seams. The dowel rods should be about a quarter-inch in diameter. The length of the rods depends on how wide your shade is.
- 8). Turn your fabric over so the lining fabric is facing you. Use your measuring tape to measure six inches from the edge of the fabric along the dowel pocket on the bottom of the shade. Place a straight pin here. Measure six inches from the other side and mark this spot with another straight pin.
- 9). Measure up six inches from your two marks you made in Step 8. Mark these spots with straight pins. Measure up six more inches and mark these spots. Repeat this one more time so you have a column of four marks on each side of the fabric, spaced six inches apart.
- 10
Use a slip stitch to attach a 3/4-inch plastic ring at each marked spot. Remove the straight pins. - 11
Cut two, one-foot pieces of cording. You can use any type of cording you like, however, cording that coordinates with your lining fabric is preferred. Tie one of the ends of each piece of cording to the bottom ring you attached in the previous step. - 12
Place your tension rod in the tension rod pocket you made in Step 4. Use the tension rod to install your shade in your window. Adjust the tension on the rod as necessary to make it secure. - 13
Feed the loose ends of the cording through the rings you attached. Tie the loose ends to the top ring in each column to complete your shade.
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