How to make fleece lined curtains

 It's been a busy couple of days, as usual, here in our quarter, I've finished the curtains, done a few more rows to my evening crochet - the granny (no)stripes blanket, and I've started an exciting new day-time project. My new project is perfect as it is crocheted and can be done it tiny little 5 minute blocks whenever I've got a moment; I'm not entirely sure how it is going to be put together yet, I will keep you posted on my progress though...

I'm fairly pleased with my new curtains, they brighten up the room nicely, and they are a huge improvement on the issue curtains. Here they are:

Checkout the flower stacking toy - I think these are fab (we have 3), we bought them in Holland at a fabulous local toy-shop (I sometimes think I get more pleasure out of them than Little Miss though - she prefers to take them apart and stick the leaf in key-holes...)

Down to business then.

• The first thing to do it make the fabric the right size. My fleece was an IKEA blanket because it was handy and the right colour. My fabric was 150cm long (the window is 135 but I like extra length for when we move to a new house with different sized windows), and 100cm wide (it needs to be wider than the space it will take up otherwise it will sit all wrong and you'll get a gap down the middle; and double the space is too much and the curtain takes up too much space when it is pulled back - consequently I err towards about half-way between these two states)

• The second thing I did was use my machine (straight stitch, stitch length 6) to hold a small folded back seam allowance across the top of the curtain

(Click on the pictures to enlarge)

• I then put the fleece flat on the floor with the gingham on top (tacked seam allowance down), smoothing out any wrinkles.
• These two layers were then tacked loosely together by hand close to - but not right next to - the edge along 3 sides (top (the machine pre-tacked edge) and two sides) - the bottom was left free.

• Once the tacking was in place I cut the fleece to size ready for sewing.
• The top edge (the one already turned under) is cut so that the fleece and the curtain are the same length (the raw edges will be hidden by the curtain heading tape).

• The two sides need to be cut so that the fleece is not folded into the seam allowance (it's too bulky); but when the seam allowance is folded over, the raw edge of the fleece is hidden. To do this I used the squares on the gingham as a guide, folded back the gingham 2 squares away from the edge and cut the fleece along this fold line:

• Finally, on the lower edge - because the bottom will not be sewn together and to give room for the fleece to stretch slightly - I folded up the bottom further than the two sides before cutting the fleece below to the fold line.

Now for the sewing - which is quite quick in comparison to all the preparatory work!

• First the sides. With the front side of the material facing away from you (gingham down, fleece up), fold the sew allowance in half so that the raw edge of the gingham touches the raw edge of the fleece:

• Then fold the seam allowance over again at the edge of the fleece so that both raw edges are enclosed and the gingham overlaps the fleece by one square

• I then moved the needle over to the right-hand position and placed the fabric with the edge at the edge of the foot (still fleece side up) and sewed with a straight stitch (stitch length 3.5) all the way along the side to the end.

• I then did exactly the same with the other side.
• At the bottom, the fleece was not an issue, I simply turned up the bottom 3 squares, folded the 3rd square behind the 2nd to enclose the raw edge and sewed across the bottom with a straight stitch (stitch length 3.5).

• Finally I moved to the top of the curtain. First I checked which side of the curtain heading tape was the front, and then held it at the back of the fleece (fleece to wrong side of tape) and tucked the raw edge of the tape between the fleece and the tape.

• I then turned the whole thing over so that I was sewing on the front of the fabric, holding the sandwiched layers securely, and sewed with the needle in the central position and the edge of the fabric next to the needle, straight stitch, stitch length 3.5.

• I kept stitching until I had gone round in a rectangle, turning at the corners and across the bottom of the tape (using the squares to estimate the thickness of the tape to make sure I caught the edge of it in the stitch (there is a little leeway here as you can sew on the tape right up to the central section where the loops are).

• Remove the tacking, repeat with curtain number two and hang. Job's a good 'un.

Fleece lining curtains has the advantage of making them quite warm and also you don't have to worry about the raw edges because fleece doesn't fray or unravel.

It also took me much longer to write this than it did to make the curtains!!

Comments

[Claire T-Z]

New curtains are fab, loads better than the "lovely" floral ones we normally get, I am just gutted that mine are about 3 inches too short for the windows in our new place, but we have stripes this time, and not the hideous things we had at Elmpt.