How to hem curtains at home?

A window opening without a beautiful decor looks “naked” and uncomfortable. Due to this, the impression of incomplete design of the room. Therefore, curtains in the interior play an important role, because with their help you can adjust the exposure to the required amount of sunlight, as well as protect yourself from prying eyes. In addition, they will create a cozy atmosphere in the interior. But, unfortunately, in the salons it is very difficult to find a finished product that does not require processing and is suitable specifically for your window opening. Accordingly - due to this there are additional financial costs for paying for the work of the tailor, which will shorten the curtains to the length you need. There is another way - this is to do everything yourself, figuring out how to hem the curtains at home. Thanks to our tips and tricks, you can do this without much effort and additional financial costs.

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How to choose a curtain of the desired length?

To begin with, you need to decide on the “complete set" of window decor. Tulle is suitable for use all year round and is just a decorative decoration. As for curtains, they have a more practical value. For example, in the summer, with their help, you can adjust the lighting, as they do not let in the sun.

Important! There are also curtains that are designed to heat the interior space. They are used in the autumn-winter period.

When choosing textiles for window decoration, it is very important to consider not only the correctness of the chosen style and color scheme, but also the following aspects, which will also affect the general appearance and amount of the required material:

1. Saturation and type of drapery.
2. The use of decorative elements such as lambrequins and banding.

Important! Many when calculating the size of the future product are guided by the length of the cornice. Modern designers recommend window decoration from one side wall to another. Thus, you visually increase the space of the room in width. As for the length of the product, it can be completely different. It all depends on your taste preferences and the style of the room.

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Materials for work

In order to hem the curtains at home, you need to have:

• Curtain braid;
• Curtains;
• Threads in color;
• Chalk or tailor's marker;
• Scissors.

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Choose a way

The technology for filing curtains is very simple, so everyone can master it. And in order for you to succeed, you must follow the following sequence:

• First, decide on the length of the future product.

Important! Leave the fabric suspended for several days. So it stretches a little and you can more accurately make measurements.

• Add a couple of centimeters for allowances to the total meter of the future length of the curtain.
• Using a chalk or a tailor’s marker, emphasize a straight line, and cut off unnecessary material.
• Next you should sweep and trim the edges. The sewing method depends entirely on the quality of the material you have chosen.To beautifully shorten the curtains, you need to form a smooth and neat edge. To do this, it is best to fold the fabric 2 times. This method is called “double hem”. This option is not suitable for heavy paintings, as it will be very rough and convex.

Important! If you decide to use a double hem when processing a curtain, you can not trim it, since the double fold “hides” up to 30 centimeters of fabric.

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Pay attention to the material

In order to process the upper edge, you need to hem the curtain to the curtain tape, which is presented in a huge assortment and has a number of characteristics:

• Width and number of rows for mounting. This is very convenient, since they are located in parallel and the width between the rows is literally a few centimeters. Such strips make it possible to adjust the length of the finished product.
• The future crease pattern depends on the number of sorbing threads on the opposite side of the tape.
• With their help, you can adjust the saturation and density of the drapery, while the width of the curtain will decrease from 1.5 to 3 times. Accordingly - you will need to purchase a larger footage of fabric.

Important! For dense fabrics with a pattern, this coefficient is 2-2.5 times. As for light materials - 2.5-3. This difference is due to the fact that plain and thin fabrics will look richer with rich and deep warehouses.

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The main methods of processing seams

There are several ways to file curtains:

• Manually. Most often, in this case, use a blind seam. This method is quite time-consuming. It requires skill and patience. You need to pry the edge of the fabric from the wrong side with a needle with thread tucked into it and thread the thread. In order to ensure that the allowance is accurate and the stitches are invisible, you should grab only one warp thread on the front side. Thus, the seam comes out almost invisible.
• Hem the curtains on a sewing machine. This is the simplest and most universal method. In this case, often use a slanting trim (special finishing tape). It bends in half, and the edges of the fabric wind inward and are sewn.

Wawow! When working with a sewing machine, stretching and shifting of the material is not allowed, therefore, previously the product is better to mixa thief.

• Fringing with fabric. Thanks to this method, you can make the edges of the curtain neat, while decorating them with braid, lace or ribbons. Using such accessories, you do not have to tuck the edges.

Important! To trim the edge of the curtain, you can also use the fabric from which it is made.

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How to hem the curtains with your own hands?

Next, we work in the following sequence:

• Cut the edge. It is very important not to rush during this process, so as not to cause the canvas to deform.
• First of all, it is necessary to process the side edges. Bend and fix the fabric with an iron. After - attach.

Important! Before thoroughly stitching the side edge, it must be swept away. This way you can fix possible flaws.

• The next step is to fasten the braid to the upper edge. In order for the hem of the curtains to be flat and neat, you need to bend the fabric by about 2-3 centimeters. Iron with an iron.
• The curtain braid should also be bent a few centimeters from both ends.
• From the bent strips, the stripping threads should be freed.
• Attach the tape to the wrong side of the curtain. Sew, and then fix it with two seams: the upper and lower.

Important! The number of stitches may vary. It all depends on the width of the tape, for example:

• if the width of the tape is about 5 centimeters, then in this case two seams are enough;
• for a tape 10 centimeters wide you will need 3 seams;
• for tapes, the width of which is more than 10 centimeters, you will need at least 4 seams after each row of fasteners.

• From the sewn tape, you need to remove the sorbing threads. After - connect the pairs of tips between each other on both sides.
• The bottom edge is treated with a double hem. To do this, form the first fold and iron. Tuck the fabric again, iron again and sweep. Sew the hem completely using a sewing machine and pull the basting threads.
• After the curtains are hemmed, proceed to the formation of drapery.

Important! To facilitate the distribution of folds across the width of the curtain, you just need to pull the threads on both sides.

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Useful Tips

In order for the finished product not to “sit down” after the first wash, you need to do the following:

1. Dip the curtain fabric in warm water for a few minutes.
2. Next, gently squeeze it and hang it upright.
3. Dry slightly to a damp floor.
4. Iron well.

Important! This procedure is not recommended with materials such as velor, plush and velvet.

And a few more tricks:

• The lining is best sewn already to the finished product
• Connect the corners in a diagonal line.
• For beautiful and even folds, special weighting weights must be sewn to the lower edge of the curtain.

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We shorten curtains without hemming

In addition to the standard options, there are several ways how you can shorten the curtain without binder. They are very light and laborious.

Duct tape

The main advantages are its ease and accuracy in work. Therefore, even an inexperienced beginner can hem the curtains with the help of a ribbon. First you need to twist the material twice.

Important! While tucking the fabric, use sewing needles to help you. They will provide a smooth edge and avoid skewing.

Place adhesive tape between the resulting layers and fix it with an iron. Under the influence of high temperature, the adhesive layer begins to melt, due to which the tape and fabric are glued together.

Unfortunately, this method is not ideal. This is due to the fact that after several washing procedures, the edges of the curtains come off, as a result of which the window opening looks untidy. Therefore, the gluing procedure must be carried out regularly.

Important! For thick and heavy fabrics, adhesive tape should be used in two rows.

Special clamps

With their help, you can simulate the folds, thanks to which the material is lifted. This method also has its drawbacks:

• It is very difficult to achieve symmetry, so you need to work with two curtains.
• The use of clips is not suitable for dense fabrics, as they do not withstand loads.

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How to hem the curtains on the sides?

Typically, the width of the seams on both sides of the curtain does not exceed 1.5-2 centimeters. In order for the seam to be double hemmed, you need to perform the following series of actions:

1. We take a simple pattern. If this is not available, you can use a rectangle made of thick cardboard. At the same time, its sides should be equal to the magnitude of the deflection, and along the length - correspond to the sole of the iron. Put the pattern on the edge of the canvas, wrap the fabric and iron. Next - move your pattern further along the edge of the product and repeat the process.
2. The hem must be wrapped twice and secured with pins. At the edges you form corners.
3. Sew with a sewing machine, no more than 2 millimeters from the edge of the fold.
4. After you have finished sewing, you should fix everything well by ironing the hem.

Important! If the fabric has a three-dimensional embossed pattern, then in this case, the side seams do not need to be processed.

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We hem the bottom of the curtains

In order for the curtains to be beautifully hemmed, they must have a flat bottom. If you are not happy with the length and need to be shortened, then you should base the cut. To do this, gently pull the thread, which will serve as a guide, and cut the fabric along it.

Next, the bottom of the curtains are processed in the same way as the side seams.An important and final step is to install a cord or other types of weighting agents. The cord is inserted into the hem and secured on the sides. It is best used for light and transparent tissues. As for individual weights, they are first fixed in the corners, and then evenly distributed over the entire width.

Important! Mostly weights are mounted on lined products. If not, you can put them in small pockets that are made of the same fabric.

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Gusset

In order for the corners of the curtains to not visually protrude and not be very thick, use the corner connection of the hem:

1. Iron the side and bottom hem.
2. Mark the intersection with a sewing needle or safety pin.
3. Bend the hem bends inward. The previously noted point should be taken as a basis.
4. Iron and pin the diagonal bevel.
5. In the end, sew all the seams, and the bevel - flashing with a hidden seam.

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We work with tulle and organza

In order to hem the curtains with your own hands from organza or tulle, you need to consider the features of this material. First you need to trim the cut and cut it with scissors or a hot knife. It is very important to process the edges so that they do not “crumble”. This can be done in two ways:

1. They can be hemmed with a small zigzag or with the help of an overlock (if any).
2. Gently burn the flame from a match or lighter to the edge of the canvas. This process is best done together - you process the fabric, and your assistant pulls it.
3. Further on the sides you need to sew on a slanting inlay, and below weights to fasten.

As for organza, it can be hemmed in yet another way - to double fold:

• First you need to trim the bottom edge, and only after - the sides.
• The width of the gate should be no more than 1 centimeter. Therefore, you should be extremely careful and ensure that the fabric does not slip, otherwise - the seam will be uneven and rough.

Important! Double hem can also be used on thicker single-layer curtains. To process the bottom edge, you need to bend and smooth the hem allowance by 6.5-7.5 centimeters. After that, bend the iron again to the same length, hem the product. For the sides, the double hem should be about 2.5 centimeters.

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Useful rules and recommendations

In order for the finished product to be neat, and the process of hemming less time-consuming, we offer you some tips that will be useful to you:

1. For curtains with lining it is best to use a single hem.
2. So that the allowance is neat and the stitch is invisible, you only need to grab only one warp thread on the front side of the product.
3. To avoid distortion of the seams, you need to lay long stitches, basting. In this case, you should first fasten the side edge with pins, observing a distance between them of 7-10 centimeters.
4. To avoid distortions, when ironing, you should fix the fabric, jokes it to the surface of the ironing board.

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Stock footage

You can create a beautiful and stylish window opening decor yourself. To do this, you need only a little knowledge of sewing skills and a little patience. And thanks to the above tips, you will get the product neat and even.