Creating An Aromatic Shade: A Step-By-Step Guide

Roman shades are a stylish and functional option for window treatments. They are ideal for adding privacy and blocking light, and can be customised with your choice of fabric. Making your own Roman shades is a great DIY project, especially for beginners, as it only involves straight lines. You can make Roman shades from scratch or use deconstructed blinds. This paragraph aims to provide an introduction to the topic of making Roman shades, covering the benefits, materials, and process.

Choose fabric and lining

When making a Roman shade, the choice of fabric is critical. The material will determine the finished product's colour and pattern, as well as its translucency and ease of operation. Light and medium-weight materials are ideal, but avoid rigid or heavily embellished fabrics as they will not fold nicely. The fabric should have some weight to it, as sheer fabrics are too light and velvet and damask are too heavy.

The best fabric for Roman shades is medium-weight, 100% cotton, screen-printed on canvas or duck. This fabric pleats nicely and doesn't wrinkle easily. Most home decor or drapery fabric found in stores is of this type. Linen and linen blends are also a good choice, as they provide the right weight and structure. Linen can be transformed into a variety of colours and textures to suit almost any design style. If you prefer a synthetic fibre, choose 100% rayon. It is a thinner thread, so it will need a liner to support it.

When selecting a lining, you can choose between a blackout lining for maximum darkness or a privacy lining that is less thick but allows some light to filter through. The choice depends on the room. For a bedroom with an east-facing window, a blackout lining is recommended, while a living room typically requires only a lighter lining.

It is important to note that not all shades need to be lined. For simple flax linen Roman shades, designers often use the selected face fabric by itself for a visually aesthetic light appearance. However, in some cases, adding a lining can give shades a more finished, luxurious look and help hide the lift strings.

Measure and cut fabric

To make a Roman shade, you will need to measure and cut your fabric according to the size of your window. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do this accurately:

Step 1: Measure the Window

Begin by measuring the window. For an inside mount, measure the width from left to right, and the height from top to bottom, at the top left, centre, and top right of the window. Record the narrowest width and the largest height. For an outside mount, follow the same process but add at least two inches to each measurement to ensure full coverage of the window and its frame.

Step 2: Determine the Fabric Size

To determine the size of the fabric you need, use the following formula: cut length of the shade = window height + 6 inches for mounting onto the board + 6-8 inches drop from the mounting board + 8 inches for each fold + 1 1/2 inch for each dowel casing. For the fabric width, the cut length should equal the width of the window plus 2 inches.

Step 3: Cut the Fabric

Using the measurements you have calculated, cut your fabric to size. Remember to allow for a seam allowance by adding a few extra inches to the final dimensions. It is recommended to have your fabric cut 2 inches wider and 7 inches longer than the desired size of your shade.

Step 4: Create a Seam Allowance

To create a neat finish, fold and press the sides and bottom of the fabric towards the wrong side. The amount you fold over will depend on the desired width of your seam allowance. A common seam allowance for this project is 1/2 inch. You can use an iron to press and hold the folds in place.

Step 5: Sew the Hems

Use a sewing machine to sew down the hems, securing the seam allowance in place. Remember to leave both ends of the bottom hem open to allow for a dowel to be inserted later.

By following these steps, you will have accurately measured and cut your fabric for your Roman shade, ready to continue with the next steps of the project.

Sew fabric and lining

Sewing the fabric and lining is a crucial step in making a Roman shade. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide:

Cut the Fabric and Lining

First, decide whether you want your Roman shade to hang inside or outside the window trim. This decision will impact your measurements. For the shade fabric, cut one panel that is the width of the window plus two inches, and for the length, use the following formula: cut length of the shade = window height + 6 inches for mounting onto the board + 6 or 8 inches drop from the mounting board + 8 inches for each fold + 1.5 inches for each dowel casing. Cut the lining fabric to the same length as the shade fabric, with a width equal to the width of the window inside the recess or frame.

Sew the Rod Pockets

Create dowel pockets in the liner by folding it and sewing. Sew the first dowel pocket 5 inches from the bottom hem of the shade, and then sew each subsequent pocket 8 inches apart until you are within a foot of the top edge.

Sew the Trim to the Fabric

Pin and sew along each edge of the ribbon trim. You can add this detail vertically or horizontally, depending on your preference.

Sew the Liner onto the Fabric

With the right sides of the fabric and liner facing each other, sew along one side, leaving a 0.5-inch seam allowance. Then, sew along the other side with the same seam allowance. The fabric will wrap around the liner on each side due to the liner being narrower.

Insert the Dowels

Snip one side of the dowel pockets to slide the dowels into place. You can use wooden dowels or bamboo barbecue skewers, ensuring they are no longer than 1/4" in diameter.

Turn the Shades Inside Out

Carefully turn the shades inside out so that the right sides are now facing out, with the dowels inside.

Hem the Roman Shade

Measure and fold the bottom of the shade, then pin and sew to create a hem. Ensure the liner is centered, allowing for about an inch of fabric on either side.

Sew on the Rings

Determine the placement of the rings by holding up the pulley and cord lock; the rings should line up with these, approximately 2.5 inches from the sides. Being careful to measure every 8 inches, sew the rings through both layers of fabric, going around the rod once or twice for added security. You can use ring tape or sew the rings individually.

Attach the Pulleys and String the Cord

Using a screwdriver, attach the pulleys to the mounting board. Tie off each cord on the bottom ring and thread it upwards through the rings, along the pulleys, and through the screw eyes. You can use a pin to help guide the cord through the chord lock.

Create rod pockets

To give the folds of your Roman shades a bit more structure, you can add small dowel s. You can do this by sewing dowel pockets into the liner of your shades. First, cut your liner fabric. You will need to cut the liner fabric 1 inch narrower than the final shade width. Then, decide where you want your dowel pockets to be placed. Fold the liner fabric about 3/4 inches, or enough that the dowel can slide inside, and sew the first dowel pocket about 5 inches from the bottom hem of the shade. Sew the remaining dowel pockets 8 inches apart until you are within a foot of the top edge of your shade.

Next, insert your dowels. You will notice that your dowel pockets are sewn closed, so snip one side to slide the dowels in place.

If you don't want to sew dowel pockets, you can use rod pocket tape instead. Simply sew the tape to the lining rather than forming pockets from the lining.

Attach rings and cord

To attach the rings and cord, first, measure the placement of the rings on each spine pocket and sew them in place by hand. For a shade this size (34 inches wide), the rings should be about four inches from the edge of the shade. Each spine will only need two rings, one on each side. A small shade like this doesn't require a ring or cord in the centre.

Next, add a buttonhole at the top of the shade for each cord. Place the buttonholes four inches from the edge of the shade, in line with the rings, and about 2.5 inches from the top of the shade. If you have two cords, you will only need two buttonholes. Alternatively, you can use grommets instead of buttonholes.

Then, prepare the mounting board by drilling two holes for the mounting screws and attaching two cord pulleys and one cord lock. Ensure that the cord pulleys are aligned with the cords on the shade. On the backside of the mounting board, attach the other half of the hook and loop tape.

Finally, insert the weighted metal rod into the bottom hem of the shade and string the shade cord through the rings. Knot the cord around the bottom rings and feed it up through the other rings and the buttonholes to the front of the shade at the top.

Frequently asked questions