No-Sew {very afordable!!} Curtains

Not sure if you would consider this a curtain or a valence?  I always call them curtains, but technically, I suppose, they are more of a valence.  Call it what you want, I made them myself without sewing and without spending money!  

My kitchen window.....

All you need is an old table cloth, piece of fabric, or even a bed sheet that you like, a staple gun, a 2x4, some "L" brackets, and some ribbon.  Most of us have these things or can get them easily without spending too much money.

1.   To make these "curtains" you simply cut the 2x4 down to the size of your window.  It should be at least 2 - 3 inches longer than the width of the window.  Be sure you include the window frame in the size of your window as you will not want to mount this to the window frame.  Your fabric should be at least 4 inches longer than the 2x4 so that you can cover the ends it and not just the front.  We don't want the ends of the 2x4 to show...just not attractive at all.  :) 

2.   Next, simply staple your fabric {in this case I used a nice table cloth that I no longer need} to the 2x4.  Starting at the ends.  Be sure you staple the fabric on the end of the board and then wrap it around the front so that it hangs correctly on the window. 

3.    After you have stapled it on each end, you can staple the center of the fabric to the center of the board.  Depending on how much fabric you have, you may or may not have to make to a pleat {or 2} on each side.}  I prefer one pleat on each side.  You can do what you like or what works best with your fabric and window sizes.  

Above you see I have stapled it to each end of my 2x4. 

Below, you can see how we stapled it to the center of the 2x4 and the excess fabric is just kinda hanging there....that's where the pleat will be...right in the center of the end and the center.  Ah, yeah, there's got to be a better way to say that!!   {If you aren't going to have a pleat in your curtain, you can skip down to step 6}

4.   So, ANYWAY, measure your board from the end to the center and divide that number in half.  Mark that many inches from the end of the board and THAT is where you should staple your pleat. 

5.  Above, you can see where I made the pleat and simply stapled it right on the board at the place marked as instructed above.  Below, you can see how we stapled the pleat to be sure it wasn't going to come undone.  

Most of the time I would sew this on my machine, but since my sewing area is under construction and I'm very impatient, I decided to do it all without my machine.

Below, you can see the whole board with both completed pleats.....

6.   Next {below} you simply measure and attach your ribbon to hold the curtain up in a "blousy" manner right at the pleats.  If you don't have pleats in your curtains, you simply measure as we did in step 4 and attach the ribbon where the pleat would have been.  One end of the ribbon will be stapled straight to the board on the underside of the fabric and the other end will be stapled to the board through/on top of the fabric.   {sorry, no picture was taken of this step.}

7.   To hang the curtains, {below} you will need to screw the "L" brackets to the bottom of the board.  Be sure you put it on so that the back of the board is against the wall.  We don't want our curtains hung backward!  This would look very cute to all the Peeping Toms....not so cute to guests!!  

 Then, you simply measure, level and screw the curtains straight into the wall........

 .....and there you have it!  

My dinning room window....simple...easy....very inexpensive.

{I think I spent a grand total of $6.00 on hardware and ribbon to dress both windows!}

Tips:

1. I used one table cloth to make "curtains" for my dinning room and kitchen windows.  I cut it in half and stapled the UN-hemmed edge to the board.  This saved me from needing to hem my fabric!!   
2. Because my table cloth was too long for the kitchen window I simply doubled it and stapled it up that way.   If I had cut it down to size, I would have had to hem it, and, as I stated before, my sewing machine/area is not available at the moment. 
3. My fabric has stripes!!  Stripes always make it so much easier to get it all straight!!  
4. If you measure your ribbons wrong...as I did...you can "tack" it up to the desired length in the back/underside of the curtain with a safety pin.  Even the Peeping Toms won't see it...unless they're standing directly on the opposite side of the window...in which case you have more problems than a safety pin in your curtains!!!  : D

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