Made to measure roman blinds that won't cost the earth?

[HeadFairy]

I've given up on the idea of plantation blinds for our living room, everyone I've seen has quoted £1000+ for one window, cafe style!!! So now I'm looking for Roman blinds... they need to be made to measure as they'll have to be recessed in to the window frame, I've tried John Lewis and they're coming out very expensive, approaching the £1000 mark. Laura Ashley don't make blinds wider than 200cm, so now I'm struggling. Does anyone have any good suggestions please?

[kitsmummy]

There are lots of sellers on ebay who make roman blinds, we've had 3 lots made and they've all been v good. Type in "Laura ashley roman blind" and there should be a few people come up who make them. They'll make them with designer fabrics, or you can send your own fabric to them to make up. Read their feedback to get an idea of how good they are. By the way, I don't know if anyone will make blinds wide than 200cm - they don't tend to look v good v wide and I'm not sure if they'd pull up well at that width?

[HeadFairy]

Thanks kitsmummy... the problem is my window is 212 wide, so if I don't have them made up to that size I'll have odd little gaps around the edges. I know I'll have to have a join in them, as most fabrics are 200cm wide... I'll have to choose a fabric which will join without looking too obvious (stripes?) but there's no way of avoiding it. I will look on ebay, but I'm an ebay virgin so a bit hesitant (pathetic I know!)

[somewhathorrified]

could you make your own? roman blinds are the easiest to make yourself; string, wood and material!

[sinclair]

Agree that anything over 200 is never recommended - they are very hard to manoeuvre over that width. Could you do two side by side?

[Jacaqueen]

Instead of joining 2 pieces of material together you could use and edging made of a contrasting material. I have a blind made of vertical striped material but it is edged in the same material used horizontally.

It looks a lot better than having a join.

[bamboo]

Dunelm came in at quite a reasonable price when I was looking recently. I think they will do 212 wide.

[notamumyetbutoneday]

Where are you based? In the North east there is a company called Homefair who we used recently to get a woodweave roman blind for the kitchen- the cost was less than half what Hillarys, etc were quoting.

[HeadFairy]

somewhathorrified, you would most definitely be some what horrified if you saw my attempts at sewing, so I think I should steer clear of making any blinds!

I'm in Surrey notyetamum... I've had a look at Dunelm, not sure I like any of the fabrics.

sinclair - two side by side would look really wierd with this window... agree though I might need a proper winder mechanism rather than just a cord pull.

[TheHappyCat]

The way you do a join is to place the wide piece in the middle and then have two joins, one either side, matching the pattern as you go. It doesn't notice. But with a discrepancy of just 6cm either you could easily do a border.
I'd like to claim the credit but I have an excellent lady who makes mine and this is how she does it. Good ones aren't cheap but they are a good investment and last forever! She made them all in our old house; still going strong nearly 10 years later. But if you do have a go, that's how the experts do it.
I'm confused as all the fabrics I look at are 135cm wide, rather than 200cm, but I have no idea why.

[Onlyaphase]

I'd recommend 247 blinds here, I've used them many many times, fab service and really quick. They have a good measuring guide on their site and haven't let me down yet, though I've only used them for blackout blinds, curtains, normal blinds and venetian blinds so far