HOME-MADE FAILS

By morethancurtains |

One of the biggest bugbears I encounter in this industry is the prevalence of failed DIY attempts at window coverings. I’m not talking about very talented ladies that can actually sew beautiful draperies, as rare as this currently is, years ago everyone had an Aunty Mabel who could sew curtains; thankfully these hindrances to my business are dying off (LOL!)

Actually I am referring to those who diligently follow the advice given on DIY television shows, only to produce curtains that have too little fullness, drag on the ground (or sit too far above it) an are attached to taped together mop handles!!! Indeed, if I were to supply such similarly finished producst, I would end up facing a tribunal!!! Please remember that on television, they renovators are given five minutes to decorate an entire house, so they dont get the time to make the curtains properly.

So here are a few pointers to remember :

  1. Purchase enough fabric to accommodate a minimum of 2 x fullness. Flat pieces of fabric look like sheets… UGH!
  2. Purchase half decent tracking or rods. No excuses here,,you can get cheap stuff in Bunnings if you dont want to spend much. Taping together dowelling or conduit is not appropriate!!!
  3. Hem properly! Yes you do have to actually hem the fabric!!! The industry standard that I have to abide by is 1 to 3 cm from the floor. You may like your curtains to drag a bit, but over along expanse of window this looks dreadful, and your curtains will get dirty much quicker. Also, insects will make their homes in the fabric on the floor. It looks lazy… so HEM!!!
  4. Correctly install!!! Use the right screws for the surface you are drilling into. If your walls are hollow, use hollow wall anchors. A dodgy installation can make even beautiful curtains look crappy.

So, has this put you off making your own curtains?? I certainly hope so!!! Good quality window coverings are an investment and it is worth paying a professional to assist. I dont know anyone that has made their own carpets to save money, yet curtains cost about the same and many try all sorts of dodgy things to save money on window coverings.