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Anyone make draperies out of curtain panels???

13 years ago

Help! I've redecorated my living room and I need new pinch-pleated draperies for my picture window as my entire color scheme has changed. My current traverse-rod drapes are 144 x 84 which I bought at JC Penney. Alas, JC Penney (as well as most other ready-made drape/curtains in the stores today) has gone to mostly single panels which I can't understand why--doesn't anyone draw closed their drapes at night? I do not want my living room and me in my PJ's on display for the entire neighborhood to see come nighttime. So my question is--has anyone made pinch-pleat draperies from sewing single panels together? I've inquired at an alteration place and the woman thinks she can sew the "pinch-pleats" into panels depending upon the material. Buying several panels and sewing them together would be much more economical than having pinch-pleat drapes made for my large LR picture window. I even thought that if I got tab-back panels I could attach pin-on drapery hooks to the tabs and the hooks then into the traverse rod. Then I would only have to have the panels sewn together. Advice/tips from anyone who has done this would be appreciated. I simply cannot afford several hundred $$ for new custom-made draperies.

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Comments (5)

terezosa / terriks
13 years ago
Of course it can be done. The drapes are just fabric after all. I don't think that the pins on the back tab panels would draw as neatly as pinch pleats, but you could always test one out and see how it looks.
les917
13 years ago
I understand wanting them to be sewn together, but why wouldn't you buy pinch-pleated panels, rather than unpleated ones, to work on the existing rod? They can be sewn together as well.
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Very helpful thread. So based on what I'm reading, it seems custom is almost always required. But maybe I'm misunderstanding. For example, West Elm sells a standard curtain in 48" W. Assuming one chooses 2.5 for fullness, this means their standard width curtain covers 19.2" wide (48"/2.5=19.2"). So 2 of them (one on each side of the window) will cover a 20" wide window with 4" trim on either side and 4.5" rod overhang on either side with a 2.5 fullness. Collectively the 20" wide window with 4" trim on either side is 28". Then add 4.5" overhang for the rod on each side and we get 37" total. 37/2=19.5. Which is basically what their standard 48" W curtain covers at 2.5 fullness. That is one very small window. I'm struggling to see why the standard curtain would be made to cover such a tiny window. What am I missing?
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Could you pick up a color from the print of Washington at Valley Forge over your fireplace? Or maybe a green since that corner of the rug in the first picture seems to have green in it and that could tie the areas together. Are you going to paint the walls when you make the mantel white? That could influence what you choose for draperies. You have a comfy, cozy looking room and I like your armoire a lot.
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rucnmom
13 years ago
This is a pretty straightforward DIY project if you use pleater tape.
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teeda
13 years ago
I'm dealing with the same issue. We just moved into a 70's ranch with lots of sliders and extra large windows that all have very well made custom pinch plate draw drapes. I was expecting to just remove them all, but have decided I love the way they work and the insulation the drapes provide. The rods themselves are a significant investment. Unfortunately, the fabrics are dated. I thought I could easily replace the drapes with ready-made pinch pleated ones, but they are really difficult to find. I've checked all the major retailers, and the selection is very limited in my opinion. If you want pole or tab top, the choices are endless.

I've added a link to a pleating product I'm considering purchasing . I watched the video and it seems like a fairly easy way to convert pole top to pinch pleat. The tape isn't cheap, but a lot more reasonable than having drapes custom made.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deep Pleat Tape
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graywings123
13 years ago
Yes, I take ready-made draperies and adjust them to what I want them to do. Ready-mades are so inexpensive that they are cheaper than starting from scratch.

But, kaisermust, what you are seeing is a general trend to use drapery fabric for show and blinds for function.
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