How to Make Roman Shades to Style Your Window

Roman shades are the perfect window decorations that add style, panache, and functionality. They have a greater light obstructive capacity and give more privacy. Roman shades have no gaps between slots and can cover your windows fully. They can be created from fabric, lending it more of a curtain-ish look and feel. Roman shades add an instant charm to your windows anywhere – the kitchen, bedroom, lounge, or living room – with colorful prints and gorgeous fabrics. To make simple Roman shades for your windows, you just need a few instructions that you can easily follow.

Steps to make Roman Shades for your Window Makeover

Adding new curtains to a room always makes a difference, whether you are doing a whole-scale renovation or just a tiny makeover. But a lot of people do not want to try the standard treatment to redecorate windows. Learning how to style DIY Roman shades could just be the solution for you to style a window with space and costs less. With a set of blinds or wooden dowel rods, you can whip up your own DIY Roman Shades using a step-by-step manual and the supplies listed below. If you are making Roman shades with blinds, just buy the below supplies and follow the instructions to give your window a sweeping makeover.

Supplies:

• A set of mini blinds to fit your window
• Medium weight fabric for upholstery (cut to 6″x12″) – longer than the window
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Iron
• Pencil
• Decoupage medium
• Foam paintbrush
• Clothespins/ Pegs to secure

Instructions:

For conjuring the homemade Roman shades for your beloved windows, just follow the steps below:

1. Customise Length of Blind

Rest the blinds on the worktop or a flat surface, with the front of the blinds facing downwards. Measure window to ascertain the length of the roman shade. Pull the blinds to the desired length.

2. Remove the additional blind slats

Chop the denser strings that attach the planks on the front and back sides. Don’t cut the strings in the center of the planks, which pulls the shades from top to bottom. Measure the length that will hang above the window and then divide the figure by seven (measure in inches). This gives an estimate of how many planks you will need to stay on the blind strings. Cut the rest and discard them.

3. Position slats on fabric

Place the fabric with its face down under the blind. Lay the planks at 7-inch gaps while considering the amount of material you will drape around the top portion of the blind. Make markings on the fabric where it will be folded at the top, the bottom of the slats, and sides, leaving an allowance of 1-2 inches of fabric on the sides. Cut any additional fabric and nicely press the folds in the fabric. Iron the fabric to fold neatly and create crisp hemlines.

4. Fasten Fabric over the Bracket

Place a stopper on either end of the bracket on top to cover the blind with fabric. Cut a tiny piece of fabric so it cloaks comfortably around the edges. Coat the bracket and fabric with the decoupage tool and a foam brush and press it firmly to secure. Use clothespins to lock them together until dry.

5. Fasten the Fabric to the Blind

Brush the decoupage tool to the front side and ends of the fabric where you have marked the plank placement. Glue only ends of the plank and not the whole length of the plank. Secure the place at the 7-inch gaps you have marked and fold the corners of the planks below the folded edges. Use clothespins to hold the fabric in place until the glue dries.

6. Attach the lower part of the Roman Shade

Fold the lower edge of the fabric to make a clean finish. Roll the fabric around the bottom bar of the blind and tighten it with a decoupage tool. Fasten with clothespins as it dries. You can now install your DIY Roman shades just like a regular blind.

How to Make Roman Shades with Lining

Roman shades can also be made with wooden dowel rods and upholstery fabric. This kind of DIY window redecorating incorporates double-layered fabric to block additional light and offers greater privacy.

Supplies:

• Fabric of your choice
• Lining for fabric
• Pine Board – 1×2 inch
• Measuring tape
• Two screw eyes
• Quilter’s ruler
• Wooden dowels-1/4th inch in diameter (5 Nos.)
• Blind cords
• Shades
• Cabone rings – 10 small ones
• Fabric marking pen
• Cleat to envelop cord a the desired pleats (with fasteners)
• Wood screws (Number 8)

*Note that the quantities mentioned are for decorator fabrics that are 50-54-inch wide. All measurements listed include allowances for ½ inch in the seams. The right sides need to be sewn together unless different instructions are given.

Instructions:

To make these Roman shades for more privacy and blockage of light, just follow the step by step guide below:

1. Determine Dimensions for the Fabric

Take measurements of the height and breadth of the window from the window frame. Use the below formula to ascertain the size of the fabric shade.

Depending on the height of the window, the length of shade must be calculated as follows:

• About 6 inches for the mounting on board;
• 6-8 inches fall from the mounting board;
• 8 inches for each fold/pleat;
• 1½ inch for the dowel casing.

For the width of the fabric, use the below formula:

• Cut the length of the fabric equal to the width of the window plus an additional 2 inches.

2. Cut the Lining to size fit

The lining fabric must be cut to the same size as the fabric. The width of the lining must equal the width of the window, especially the interior of the window recess or frame. You will need only one panel of fabric lining.

3. Preparation Mounting Board

Cut the pine mounting board equal to the size of the width of the window measured. Mark points from each side of the board (4 inches from the end) for inserting screw eyes. Mark two more points, measuring even segments for windows that are wider. Drill shallow test holes in the marked points.

4. Fasten the lining fabric

Sew the panel of lining to the shade panel with the right sides facing outwards. Turn it to the right side and press the lining to center it to the back of the shade.

5. Supplement Dowel Casings

With a quilter’s ruler, fabric marking pen (washable), and measuring tape, measure and spot the placement of a 1½ inch wide dowel casing. Sew the dowel casing right on the outlines. Turn over the shade’s bottom edge by ½ inch and further turn under an additional 7/8 inch and press. Stitch up the interiors of the folded edge to make the lower dowel casing.

6. Assemble Roman Shade

Keep the mounting board below the top edge on the lining side of the shade to a measurement of 6 inches. Fold the rough edge of the shade on top of the mounting board. Try and see if it fits the window and adjust the fabric if necessary on the board. Staple and clasp the shade to the back of the board. Insert the dowels in the casings and stitch a small Cabone ring about 4 inches big inside the edge on each side and each dowel casing.

7. Mount a stud for the cords

Place a stud (preferably a T-shaped piece of metal or wood) on the right-hand side of the window frame, midway between the top and bottom, to hold the cords tightly. Mount the stud by drilling holes in the frame.

8. Adding cords to shade

Cut the left cords to twice the measured window length plus the measured width. Tie one end of the cord to the lowest rings on the left-hand side of the blind. Halve the remaining length for the right cord. Strand the cords through the column of the rings and into the bolt at the top. The top right screw eye must be where the cords are thread. To pull the slack, pull the cords and trim to even out the ends. Raise the shade and gently pull the cords so that the fabric can pleat. Secure the cords to the stud at the desired height with a figure ‘eight’ motion.

9. Attach the Roman Shade to Window

Attach the shade to the inside of the window by inserting the wood screws (number 8) to the bottom of the mounting board. Raise the shade to the topmost position and secure the cords to the stud to set the pleats. Fold and arrange pleats with hand and leave it like that for a week.

Although complicated in appearance and expensive to buy, it is not difficult to make a Roman shade yourself. You can understand it as a straight piece of fabric that opens with a pulley system and makes flat folds at the top of the window. Do not get deterred by the process that may seem a little complicated. Just follow the instructions carefully, and you can create something extremely fancy at a much lower cost. Make sure you have the time, patience, and the right tools to get it right. The daunting array of possibilities to decorate your window must not get you to resign to just buying staple curtains for your window. Go ahead and indulge in some creativity to redesign your space.

Also Read:

Lovely Window Flower Box Ideas
Unique Bay Window Ideas for House
Best Curtain Lengths and Width for Windows