Making a door curtain - what do you think of my plan?

[TheProvincialLady]

I am not very good at making things [massive understatement] but we have such a draughty front door that I have decided to make a door curtain. My plan is to buy these: ready make Ikea curtains and then interline them with a lambs wool blanket I got for 99p from Oxfam this morning. So how does this sound:

1. Cut blanket to size, 2 pieces 138cm x 3m ish
2. Tack the blanket halves onto the curtains using stitches that are quite large on the inside but tiny on the outside so you can't see how crap my sewing is them
3. Put the two curtains together with the blanket on the inside and stitch them together all round the outside with a sewing machine
4. Buy some cheap dark material to sew on the bottom because it is bound to get dirty and frayed

Is there method to my madness? Have I forgotten anything important? Please advise this very uncrafty person, thanks

Hi pushchair, I was just looking at them again actually!

Kaleidoscope and cheapcurtains.co.uk

OK, am thinking this:

1. definitely need to machine sew the blankets to the curtain, I wouldn't risk hand tacking them either, it won't hold them.
2. I would only use one of the Ikea curtains, using the second one will probably not add that much warmth, and it will be very complicated/impossible to thread one curtain pole through both curtains at the same time as the tabs will be in the same place on each side. ( does this make sense?) You can hang the curtains so the blanket side is next to the door and it still looks nice from the inside. 3)I think I'd just machine sew the blankets on to the wrong side of the Ikea curtain. It might be a lot to ask of your sewing machine mind you, so if you think one blanket might do the trick, do just one.

I do have another idea but it's complicated, and don't want to be annoying and go on about it if you're already sorted..ooh it's quite a good one actually, let me know if you're interested.

velvet door curtains a bit pricey. But then I find all curtains expensive.

Go on MinkyBorage....

They are expensive, that's true.

But velvet should last for years and should really protect against draughts etc.

I'm trying to think of it as a long term investment!

True. I might look in local second hand shops.

Right, OK, I think this might do your head in though.
OPTION 1
(I assume that the tabs on the Ikea curtain are 4cm???) (I assume that on the vertical (as hung) sides of the ikea curtain the tabs are flush with the side of the curtain, there is no step)

Step 1:
Fold the sides of the long edge of the Ikea curtains inwards (i.e. towards the wrong side or indies of the curtain), and iron them so you have a marker line all down the long edges, the fold should be 4cm width (the same width as one of the tabs) all the way down. You have basically folded the tab in.

Step 2:
Cut blanket A to be 132cm wide. Leave the length until the end.
(same width as the ikea curtain (140cm) minus the width of the tab x 2 (8cm?) so final cut width measurement is 132cm)

Step 3:
Pin blanket A on the inside (or wrong side) of the ikea curtain so it's cut edges are level (or lie just within) the pressed creases, and it lies 3cm below the top edge of the curtain.
(Do you know how to pin so you can sew over the pins?)

Step 4:
Machine sew blanket A 1cm from it's cut edge along the side seams and the top edge, but don't sew the bottom.

Step 5:
Cut blanket B to be 128cm wide, don't cut the length until the end when you can trim it to fit more neatly.
(same width as the Ikea curtain (140cm) minus the width of the tabs x 2 for each side (16cm) plus 2 cm seam allowance for each side (4cm) (140 -16+4=128)

Step 6:
Lie the curtain down on the floor (with the folded pressed sides flat and open like it was before you ironed it) so the wrong side (or inside) is facing downwards towards the floor, and the right side is facing towards you, lay blanket B on top of the curtain so that it is flush with one edge, and 2cm below the top edge of the curtain. (the total width of the blanket will be 12cm narrower than the curtain, don't worry about this). Pin along the length edge you have lined up and sew along that edge 1cm from the edge. Do NOT sew the top edge

Step 7:
Lie the curtain on the floor exactly as it was before and pull the unstitched edge of Blanket B to line up with the unstitched edge of the Ikea curtain, and 2cm below the top edge.
Pin and stitch 1cm from the edge. Do NOT sew along the top edge

Step 8:
You will now have a tube of sorts. Turn the tube inside out, so that the right side of the curtain is on the outside again. Refold the edges you ironed earlier, and you will find that despite your doubts and confusion the blanket fits perfectly inside the new width of the curtain.
Make sure that the internal seams of the curtain lie flat and neat, then pin along the vertical seam lines, and stitch the length of the curtain on each side to hold the blanket lining in place.
Pin the top edge of the blanket all the way along and sew, it should lie 2cm below the finished edge of the curtain.

Step 9:
Cut the excess blanket fabric from the bottom edge of the finished curtain.

My head hurts

Option 2 doesn't exist anymore, Option 1 took too long!

Bet you don't do that, it's a lot to get your head around on paper, but it really will work, and is nowhere near as difficut or complicated as it sounds.
Let me know if you are going to do it and we can check the measurements of the tabs etc.

i'm thinking of doing this too, great links! must get a rising portiere

Option 1 is lovely - I will remember to find you when I have a tricky project

Oh gosh it does sound complicated but I'll take your word for it that it isn't! In any case I can't make a decision until Tuesday, when the curtains are delivere - once I have them in front of me I will have a better idea of whether what you have suggested is feasible with my current skills. Thanks very much Minky for taking the trouble to post such detailed instructions

Oh and no, I don't know how to pin so I can sew over them. My usual method is to pin things then tack them with bright red thread, then take the pins out and sew as close to the tacking as possible. I am a bit rubbish at the whole thing TBH but I would like to get better.

If you think as an sewing up & down direction

You can pin in an across (left & right)direction and the sewing machine needle slides over the pin - it is a great way to pin

Oh does it? Well I will try that then, thanks

Take heart - I stitched through a duvet with my sewing machine today. Not neatly, but it managed!

I am imagining you accidentally stitching through a duvet as it got tangled up in a dress you are making Why were you stitching through a duvet?!

See now i want to make a door curtain but everynight and every morning i would fear there would be someone hiding behind it to scare the pants off me with an axe

Now that is something I hadn't considered....

sorry

My door curtain is close to the door so would see silhouette[sp] of axeman and could clout him with rolling pin. Knowing my luck he will hide down the side of sofa instead

Our duvet is was superkingsize but it's hard to find duvet covers to fit except a £70 a time. We have some IKEA covers that are slightly too small. I was changing the covers and suddenly was gripped by the idea to chop 20cm off the edge, so pulled out the sewing machine and sewed through, then cut the bit off.

The inside wadding was bleuurggh though, I think new feather duvet will be on the Christmas/sale shopping list. I have certainly discovered why the corners were lumpy.

I drew the door curtain (dark brown) across the front door the other night, walked up the stairs, suddenly felt a tickle on my hand and sitting there was a HUUGE spider I'd obviously disturbed !!

That is scarier than the axemurderer

Phew! Very reassuring KatyMac, thought I may have made it impossibly complicated!
Good luck TheProvincialLady. I'm sure that whatever you do will be fine.

I will post a photo (in 2010, when I finish it)