Make Matching Curtains and Toss Pillows

Easy DIY Accessories for Any Room

May 2, 2009 Barbara Bell

Cheer up any room in your home with simple, easy-sew curtains and co-ordinating pillows that will take little time and very little money.

Look in any home-decorating or women's magazine this month and there will be pages of wonderful room decorating ideas based on various color schemes, the seasons, and various budgets. What's the simplest idea of all? Change the window treatments and toss a few small pillows on the sofa, chairs, or bed – and these can be made inexpensively and in only a few weekend hours.

Of course, if your budget has not bottomed out already, it's time-saving to run to the local big-box store, Kmart, J C Penney, or Target to purchase the coordinating sets that every marketplace across the United States is showing. If your desire is to imitate what "every" home is looking like this season, then by all means go for it! But if you want a unique look, that's custom-made but not priced like the custom-ordered home decorating services, these are some low-cost and easy ways to accomplish the one-of-a-kind results you want.

Steps to Make Easy Curtains

Choose which window(s) you'll cover. If there are multiple windows in the room, do you want all of them to match? Determine whether you'll need single panels, a pair of panels, a pair of curtains with sheers beneath, or a shade or miniblinds beneath. This will give you an idea of how much fabric to consider.

1. Measure the height of the window from floor (for a formal look) or windowsill (casual look) to the top of the window frame. Add six inches to this. Measure the width of the window from each side of the frame to the other, and add 6 inches. [Note: standard curtain lengths are 63" to the windowsill, and 84" to the floor. This is the measurement after hemming.]
2. Multiply the height by the width, to get the number of inches of fabric. Divide this by 12 for the number of feet, or by 36 for the number of yards, to buy. Fabric is generally sold by the yard, but is often sold in different widths depending on the kind of fabric.
3. Purchase the fabric. Also purchase at least one spool of cotton or polyester thread to match the background color of the pattern or print. If you are making more than two pairs of curtains, it's best to have an extra spool of thread. If you don't sew or don't have a sewing machine, purchase iron-on seam binding tape. You will use this to make the hems and sides of the curtain panels. Make sure it is safe to machine-wash and dry after it is ironed on to the fabric.
4. Lay out the fabric, one panel at a time, on the floor or a large tabletop. Turn over 1" on each side of the panel's length, and pin every few inches. Stitch on a sewing machine using a basic stitch, or iron the seam binding down the length of the panel's two sides.
5. Turn over the top edge of the panel 3 inches, tucking the edge under enough to hide the fabric's raw edge. Stitch this edge or iron the seam binding, to create a rod pocket the width of the top of the panel.
6. Turn up the bottom edge of the panel 3 inches in the same manner, for the bottom hem. Repeat this process with the other panels, making sure to measure frequently so that all the panels end up the same length and width when completed.
7. Slide each panel over the curtain rod through the top pocket, and don't forget to do the same with the sheers if you purchased these to go between the panels. Hang from the rod brackets. The fabric may need to be ironed if wrinkled, before hanging.

Steps to Make Easy Toss Pillows

Purchase two foam pillow forms, size 18" square. Purchase one yard of coordinating fabric, at least 36" wide, for each pillow. You can buy "fat quarters", typically used for quilting, at fabric and craft stores, which are color-coordinated and already cut to 18"x21" which will work fine and are very inexpensive.

It's clever to use a different fabric for the front and back of a pillow, for interesting results. Iron-on trim can be added to the square of fabric before it is sewn together for the pillow.

1. Fold the yard of fabric in half, width-wise, front sides facing each other.Measure 18" across the width of the fabric, pin, and cut off the extra fabric. You should have an 18" square, two-sided, with 3 open sides.
2. Sew two of the three remaining open sides together, leaving the fourth side open.
3. Turn the fabric inside-out, and insert the pillow form. Hand-sew the fourth side closed, turning under the raw edges, and it's done. Repeat with the second pillow.

With only an afternoon's worth of work, you've transformed the look of your room for only a few dollars. And no one else can say she has the same "look" as you!

More Window Treatment Instructions:

Alternative Windows

The copyright of the article Make Matching Curtains and Toss Pillows in Interior Decorating is owned by Barbara Bell. Permission to republish Make Matching Curtains and Toss Pillows in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.