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Home Decorating

How to minimize curtain panel space when curtains are opened?

15 years ago

If I have 4 window panels that came with tabs on top that are 40 inches wide by 84 inches long, and I want to resew the top part in order to minimize the amount of space the panels will take when they are open, what would be the best method? I don't have a lot of room on either side of the window because of a wood burning stove on one side and art work on the other and because the window takes up so much of the wall. The panels have ready made tabs on the top but I want to do something to change that,in order to make the panels take up as little room as possible during the day when they will be open to let the sun in. I sew by hand and wonder if round rings attached to the curtains is what I should do or is there some better way?

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Comments (3)

janepa
15 years ago
I would think removing the tab, and using rings as you suggest would give you the least width for the panel when pushed back. I just bought tab top curtains/drapes and the tab is 1 1/4" wide. Find the narrowest ring which I think would be around 1/4". For example, if there are 10 tabs to the panel, by removing them and using rings you would eliminate 10 inches, and the rings would take up 2 1/2". These amounts are approx. since the material pushed together might take up a little more room. You could also use grommets which would work on the same premise.

Good luck. Jane
shelende
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the info Janepa. I have been looking for panels in Pennys for my den and was surprised to find them in Lowes as that is not a store usually associated with soft goods like window panels.
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oceanna
15 years ago
As Jane indicated, you can just fold the tabs to the back if you don't wish to use them. Or you can cut them off with scissors. Or if the curtain is valuable, remove them with a stitch ripper and then sew over where they were. Then use arod with clip rings.

To firther diminish their stacking area, at least lower down, you can use tiebacks.

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