Have you ever made something of your own, with your own two hands, and decided you won’t ever buy it again? Well that’s exactly how I feel about the DIY Roman shade I just finished for our Modern Classic bedroom makeover. Chic, easy, and guess what? Budget-friendly!
Let’s talk about the cost of custom Roman shades for a moment. If you’ve browsed some of your favorite stores for custom blinds or shades, you know that custom shades can cost a pretty penny. Running anywhere from $100 to much more for EACH window. For some, this can feel like a luxury expense.
Well let me tell you, it doesn’t have to be! You don’t have to live with basic builder grade blinds if you don’t want to. Yes you can have the custom window treatment you want at a low cost – if you’re willing to do it yourself.
Considering the money I saved in making my own shades, I think I’d be willing to do it myself every time. After adding up fabric and materials for this project, the price of each window treatment totals around $35. It’s safe to say, choosing to do DIY Roman shades was well worth the effort.
I used a sewing machine to make these shades, so this tutorial requires beginning sewing skills and a machine. However, this type of shade can certainly be achieved using a “no sew” DIY roman shade tutorial. Doing a quick search for this will get you a few good results.
Enough of me gabbing. Let’s get to the good stuff.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fabric (2 yards/window)
- Lining fabric (2 yards/window)
- Matching thread
- wooden dowel rods, 1/4 in diameter, cut to the width of your window (6-7)
- Nylon string
- 1/2″ plastic shade rings (18/window)
- Eye screws (3/window)
- 1.5″ corner braces (2/window)
- Cord cleat
- 1×2 common board (cut 1″ less than window width)
- Sewing Machine
- Staple Gun
Measure Window for Fabric
This tutorial is for an inside mount Roman shade, however, measurements can be adjusted for an outside mount. For an inside mount, you will need to take the length of your window, and add 9 inches. Then measure the width of your window, and add 4 inches. The extra inches will provide enough fabric for hemming and dowel rod pockets.
When determining how many yards of fabric you will need for each window, note that a yard is 36 inches long and either 45 or 54 inches wide. My windows are 34 inches wide and 59 inches long, therefore I knew one yard (at 36 inches long) would not be enough.
Choose Roman Shade Fabric
When choosing a fabric, look at the weight and material to determine what is best for your window. Some people advise against using anything other than decorators fabric for this, but it can be hard to find certain patterns in this type of fabric.
You want to go for a medium, or close to medium weight, fabric. Anything too heavy will make your window look heavy, and fabrics that are very lightweight won’t fold well when pulling your shade up.
I found this fabric at Hobby Lobby and absolutely loved it. It’s considered lightweight, but is on the heavier side of lightweight which helps it fold well when functioning.
Cut Fabric
Now that you have measured your window, cut your fabric to the length of your window plus 9″ and the width of your window plus 4.” My window is 59×34 so I cut the fabric to 68×38.
Next, cut your lining fabric to the same measurements.
Press Hem and Sew Fabric
Now, with your shade fabric right side down down, press a 2″ hem on both sides and the bottom of your fabric. Don’t worry about the top since we’ll be stapling that side to the 1×2 commonboard. Next, you’ll make a mitered corner on the two bottom corners.
To do this, unfold your corners, then fold the corners in, and refold the original hems.
Next, with your lining fabric right side up, repeat the same hem and mitered corner process, except make a 2.5″ hem. Then, with back side of each fabric facing the other, pin the fabric edges together.
Next, sew fabric together along the edges.
Determine Rod Pocket Measurements
Now, you will determine where to place your dowel rods, in order to sew the rod pockets. First thing to note is that your top rod, closest to the mount, should be at least 10” from the top. Now, decide about how far apart you would like your dowel rods. I wanted the dowel rods on my shade to be 9” apart.
You will begin measuring from the bottom of the shade. In order to determine the placing of your first rod, take the preferred distance measurement between rods, in my case 9”, divide that by 2, then add 1. Then, measuring from the bottom, mark the two side edges on the long end of your fabric at this measurement. In my case, I measured up 5.5 inches from the bottom and made a mark on each long edge at this measurement.
Then measure up 9” from that mark, and mark. Repeat this step, measuring up 9” and marking, until you are left with 10 or more inches to the top. If you are left with less than 10 inches, you will need to take an inch or two away from your original preferred rod distance. Then redo the measurements above. Depending on your window length, your measurements may need to be adjusted.
Next, fold the fabric where you made these marks, with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. This will be your rod pocket. Now pin the fabric together along the folds leaving at least 1” of space.
Sew Dowel Rod Pockets
Next, sew a 1/2 inch seam along the each fold you made for the dowel rod pockets.
Then, cut your dowel rods down to the width of your window, and insert into each pocket.
Hand Sew Shade Rings
Next, on each rod pocket, measure and mark the center, and 2” in from the pocket edge on each side. Hand sew in a plastic shade ring at each one of these marks. You should have 3 shade rings per pocket.
Attach Mounting Board
Now, cut your 1×2 mounting board to 1 inch less than the length of your window. Next, lay your board flat and horizontally across the top of your shade, leaving a little over half an inch of fabric for stapling at the top. Fold that leftover fabric onto the board, along the thin edge, and staple.
Attach Eye Screws and Corner Braces
Next, with your 1×2 laying flat again, screw 3 eye screws into the mounting board, lining them up with the plastic shade rings below them. The eye screws should be pointing up. Then, with the open corner of the brace facing you, screw each brace in place, about 1 inch in from the board edge.
Attach Roman Shade String
Now, cut three strings of your nylon cord to three times your shade length. Next, knot each string to a plastic shade ring on the bottom dowel, and loop each string vertically through the shade rings and eye screw above it.
Then, determine which side you would like your string to fall, for lifting and lowering the shade.
I wanted our string to fall on the right side. If you choose the right as well, take the middle string that has been looped through the middle eye screw, and loop it also through the eye screw on your left. Then take the string that has been looped through the eye screw on the right, and loop it also through the middle and left eye screw. They should all fall on your left side, though when you flip your shade over, they will fall on your right.
If you’d like yours to fall on the left, repeat the steps above in the opposite direction.
Mount Your Roman Shade
Next, with the open side of your corner braces facing down, attach the shade to the top/inside of your window frame using brace and included screws. Finally, attach your cord cleat to the inside of your window frame using the included screws. I attached ours to the upper inside of our window frame in order to hide it even when the shade is pulled up.
Voila! You are done, and have now made your own DIY Roman shade! Though it may have seemed like a lot of steps, once you complete this you’ll realize how easy it is, and can probably repeat the steps on your own. You’ll also be converted to a DIY Roman shade lover for life.
I still can’t believe the amount of money we saved going the DIY route for this project, and am already eyeing fabrics for more windows in our home. Are you thinking of doing your own DIY Roman shade now? If so, let me know if you have any questions about how to tackle your own shades.
Want to save this for later? Pin this tutorial to your favorite Pinterest board.
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