DIY Window Curtains from Shower Curtains

One DIY project from our master bedroom makeover, was to make new curtains for our oversize window. I guess you could say I'm pretty picky when it comes to curtains. I usually have a hard time selecting ones that I like or I don't want to pay regular price for them. Window treatments can be quite expensive. Plus, this window is an unusual width and height, since the ceiling is lower on that side of the room. 

Here's a look at the window BEFORE. We made a wooden cornice and covered it with batting and fabric, but I was ready for a lighter more airy look. 

I wanted something with a pattern that was modern, yet not too trendy. I usually look for anything large enough that might work for curtains, such as table cloths, duvet covers, by-the-yard fabric, or in this case, shower curtains. I found this ink blue Ikat shower curtain at Target. I got two when they were on sale for $18.99 each. 

There were two modifications I needed to do. 1. Add a lining of blackout fabric and 2. Figure out how to hang them. Either with rings/clips that I already had or add new rings. 

I discovered 1 inch round plastic snap together grommets at Joann Fabrics. They come in a variety of colors, and I used bronze, which matched my curtain rod perfectly. They came in packs of 8 for $10.99. I needed two, so I used two 50% off coupons. ALWAYS use a coupon there. 

I measured and cut the blackout fabric and pinned it to the back of each curtain. I didn't have enough blackout fabric to go the full length, but the bottom 10 inches or so didn't matter because the windows aren't that tall. I sewed both fabrics together, at the top and down both sides, leaving the bottom open. 

I used the circular measuring tool that came with the pack of grommets to space out each ring on the back of the curtains. Then I simply cut a circle of fabric out for each one and snapped a ring in place around it. Easy cheesy. I will note, the plastic rings aren't super heavy, so be careful when snapping them together, so you don't chip an edge. 

They fit perfectly on the curtain rod and created the effect I was looking for. They are easy to open and close and do a good job of blocking out the light. You can turn any fabric into a curtain with rings this way. 

Don't be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to window treatments, before dropping hundreds of dollars on ready-made ones. 

For more ideas, check out the shower curtain I made from a table cloth.

2 Panels for the Price of 1

Window treatments can be a pain. Am I right? Just thinking about installing a curtain rod makes me want to forgo it all together. When redecorating our living area, I decided I wanted to add matching curtains to the smaller window that previously had only blinds.

After experimenting with sewing my own patterned curtains and deciding I didn't like them as much as I thought I would (that's a whole other story), I decided to re-use the brown ones I already had for the large main window and find matching ones for the opposing smaller windows. 

The large window used to look like this. I said farewell to the light tan accent "swag" (looks so '90's to me now), and raised the curtain rod to about 3 inches below the ceiling. I also spray painted the black curtain rod with Rustoleum's Metallic Satin Nickel spray paint. 

This handy illustration (via Pinterest) helps visualize how high to hang curtains over windows. For more info visit here. 

I already had two matching curtain rods in brushed nickel, in the same exact scroll design (happy coincidence!) from my old bedroom. Perfect for both smaller windows! 

Now for the matching brown panels. Clearly the full size large panel would be too big for the smaller windows. I really only needed them to be half the size. But who sells half size panels? I could make my own curtains (again) just like I did here by ironing the hems. But it would probably cost as much as buying them (if not more).

Enter full size panel from Bed Bath and Beyond. I could always cut them in half - an idea that might not be so crazy! That means I would get two window panels for the price of one. Or in my case, four window panels for the price of two. I got the 84" which were $19.99 each, but with my 20% off coupon (and who doesn't have stacks of those?) it brought them to about $16 each. Yes! 

So, that's what I did. I cut them right down the middle and sewed up a quick hem on each side with my sewing machine. This did mean that they were no longer "pocket" panels, where the curtain rod slides through. I used clip rings instead, which I like the look of much better anyway. And with more of my 20% off coupons at B3 the rings were only about $7 per pack. 

That's my tip for saving a few bucks when dealing with painful window treatments. Unfortunately, I don't have any tips for installing the actual curtain rod to the wall. That took me at least two tries each and 4 extra holes in the wall. No joke. If at first you don't succeed...

Me and measuring correctly, just don't get along. It's like the numbers on the ruler are playing tricks on me. I do know how to use a laser level and a drill. It's the math that's the problem!