To not make my own curtains

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We have finally finished a massive renovation of a derelict property. DH thinks we should make our own curtains. I'd normally have a go at most things, but my issues are:

• We still have multiple other things that need completing
• Our attempts might look amateur and let the rest of the finish down
• The cost of material, black out material, sewing machine etc let alone time, might end up costing more
• There are over 35 windows of various sizes/shapes and a massive bifold
• Neither of us have used a sewing machine in 30yrs (and that was in home economics)

I worked out I couldn't make curtains cheaper than this place could do it for free, and a great choice of fabrics and matching blinds:
www.britanniarose.com

There are other places too do it.

Let him make the curtains if he wants to.

Just reading some more posts.

Tbh I think the best idea is definitely to buy second hand curtains and try customising those as a first step.

You'll get good quality fabric linings for far less than you'd pay for new.

Start as a pp said with rooms that are less viewed.

Even hemming curtains straight can be hard if you don't have the space to lay the fabric absolutely flat to cut a measure properly.

As much as I did mine for my last house and think (with caveats) it's possible it's not easy and whilst you can save money I strongly suspect buying second hand and altering is the most cost effective option (even getting professional alterations). Fabric is ££££.

Smaller windows, pencil pleats from a header tape, or where the top will be covered by a pelmet, then maybe.
But as you are a beginner I wouldn't suggest anything too big, too complicated, or with eyelets (all about the measuring detail).
My DCs childhood curtains were made from duvet covers (matched their bedding, already two layers thick) that I sewed heading tape onto and hemmed the bottom.
I got better at it, but if you can iron a neat rectangle and then sew it you can make simple curtains. Stick to smaller ones until you are really confident.

Goodness no. Firstly do you want curtains on every window - blinds look more modern.
If you want curtains eBay is good for decent curtains eg type in John Lewis for uncollected orders.

If you want high quality made to measure curtains then it is well worth buying a sewing machine*, learning to sew, and the time and effort put into it. I did when I got my first place and no regrets at all.

However it's still not cheap and 35 are going to take a very long time and learning will take patience. I would only do it if you actually want to

*Do not get a cheap one. For curtains I'd recommend Singer Heavy Duty

I’m going to buck the trend here…we’re also working on a fixer upper with two huge bays (can’t buy off the peg) and it was thousands to get the curtains made to measure, we just didn’t have the budget. I’ve never used a machine but made some curtains from extra wide beautiful french fabric which was £30 a metre, lined with extra thick thermal lining which was perhaps £20 a metre. The machine was £80. It was really not difficult, I think as a total novice it took me a weekend in total, and it gets easier on the second curtain as you know what you’re doing. I loved it and will only be making curtains for our big old windows from now! I saved about £2k.

but everyone has jobs they would rather outsource so if you’d rather not then definitely don’t! 35 is a LOT. Just wanted to share another perspective.

I guess it depends what level of quality you were aiming at. Dunhelm/Next you probably couldn't make them much cheaper....but £500+ per window you probably could make them cheaper
When I say you, I mean a competent machinist. Don't be fooled by thinking how hard can it be to sew a rectangle!

If you really want to try I'd suggest a back bedroom. Buy an extra duvet cover and knock up some cushions, a runner and some curtains first before you go chopping expensive fabric.

He can make the curtains if he wants to.

I make all my own curtains. But I would never commit to 35 in one go!

And I never buy expensive fabric, I use seconds shops (there are loads dotted around the NW). My best bargin was £20 for enough fabric for a set of patio door curtains and window that had a large pattern repeat, so needed loads extra. The fabric was a rejected john lewis design (mine was printed with a horizontal pattern, the jl pattern was vertical). I costed up the fabric at jl prices at it was almost £200.

Try a curtain exchange shop

If you have no sewing experience, don't start with something that you'll all be looking at daily for the next decade!

Agreed. I’ll do basic kids curtains but no way would I attempt ones for more visible spaces.

Curtains are an absolute pita.

The main problem is getting the edges and angles dead straight. They are completely unforgiving.

Spend the money and get the made by someone who does this all day every day.

Even if you only made the curtains/blinds for the smaller easier windows yourself, you'd save a lot of money.

It sounds like you've got the space and can lay the fabric out on the floor, interline and line yourself(ves) then the only machine involvement would be the tapes for the hooks and gathering. I'd look around for a decent book on how to do it - I can't find mine now but I think it was by Designers Guild.

I’m an experienced sewer, got certificates and everything.
Like everyone else says..don’t do it. I’ve made curtains, lots of them..I hate making them.
I’d get cheaper ready mades from IKEA or Dunelm for the bedrooms and landings etc, and splash out for the main reception rooms.
You don’t even have to have curtains.
Ive got them upstairs in the five bedrooms.
Both the bathroom and en-suite have blinds.
Our lounge and dining room don’t have curtains. I have pleated blinds on the patio doors instead, they fit onto the actual frame of the double glazing.
The dining room window has three sections and each section has its own blind, they can be pulled up the bottom or down from the top, it means we can have any one of them up or down or half way. I got them online from Blinds to Go. Quite reasonable and easy to fit.

Just wait until Dunelm have a sale. I got my bedroom curtains mtm with 20% off.

A couple of things:

I’ve made curtains and Roman blinds before. They aren’t too difficult - I just have a basic machine, nothing fancy - but you need patience and accuracy.

The most success I’ve had is with altering. I’ve bought long cotton curtains from ikea , cut off the tab tops and put on triple pinch pleat heading tape instead. I couldn’t have bought ready made pinch pleat curtains for that price anywhere. Think the fabric worked out at something like £4.40 a meter. They look really good. It helped not having to do the side seams and one hem. Striped fabric and a set square helped me keep the bottom straight.

I would not have done this with proper curtaining fabric from scratch. Materials are too expensive if I had stuffed them up.

Don't forget to factor in the cost of the header tape, the metal pronged hooks (and of course the rods and rings). They add up hideously quickly.

Look at devinelyvintage for second hand curtains. They have good ones!

Also check Amazon for a maker called two pages. They have plain (good faux) linen, made to measure, different lining options, different header options at half the price of custom curtains here (not U.K.) It’s still expensive but they are great quality. Plus you can get a fabric sample book which takes away the “oh god, what colour am I going to get” issue.

You could make your own, it's not hard for a competent sewer, for the bedrooms etc. But for the main rooms, where the curtains are more under scrutiny, you could get professional pairs.

Thank you everyone for the advice, experience and links. Surprisingly, it was DH that was going to 'have a go' at making the curtains and was reviewing sewing machines! He has been very involved in the renovation, so I assume just saw this as another skill to learn.

I hadn't considered the space needed to make large curtains. We still have rooms with saw dust and tools and the thought of trying to make them on the floor (with a puppy!) just isn't practical.

Another excellent point was whether we even want curtains at every window? I'm looking at the 2nd hand sites people added links to and deciding what we really need. Thank you everyone 😀

I made the curtains for my son's room when I was pregnant. I'm still very proud of them. But they are not even floor length, the pattern is very forgiving and I have a massive kitchen table that still wasn't quite big enough to lay out the fabric fully. Not in a million years would I start making 35 pairs! Bless your DH's cotton socks for thinking it was easy.

The only reason to do this would be if you were seriously short of money and simply could not afford professional window coverings. But in terms of prioritising them in the budget you need to think of them as being as essential to the finish of the renovation as, say, fitted kitchen cabinets. Crap amateur ones will bring the whole thing down, think of student flats etc.

Maybe your DH could do a child's room or a home office just to satisfy his curiosity about the process? A sewing machine is a reasonable investment for any home anyway.

35 is a lot of windows and will cost thousands. I reckon you should maybe get 70% done for you and then you can do the remaining few /less urgent ones slowly over a few years...

I sew and I wouldn't do it! Time plus fabric = loads of cash and you can get cheap ones in Dunhelm mill to make do

I would never attempt it, but I'm shit at anything like that. Plus I know a lovely lady who makes curtains to a fantastic standard for what seems like a very reasonable amount of money. And it's true about the space needed - she uses a massive table that must be about 20' long for spreading out the fabric.

As someone currently attempting too run up a couple of slip covers from scratch, this made me laugh. Relatable.