How to make French curtains with your own hands
The curtain from France is called chain blinds. This is because the method of management lives up to the popular name. The special design helps to collect the fabric, thereby opening up access to ultraviolet light. Due to the fact that this method differs from the usual sliding one, the French curtain will retain its sophistication, both in the assembled and in the open versions.
Due to the special sewing technique, French blinds are hung on a profile cornice. It is designed for items that need to be lifted. You can open and close the window manually or with a special remote control with an electric drive.
History and features of French curtains
Hearing about the French curtain, people begin to associate it with France, or rather a long history. And rightly so, because it all started with the sun king Louis XIV. During the Baroque and his reign, the triumph of pomp and luxury began. People began to add "wealth" to everything, even the most everyday things. Clothing, food, architecture and interior design have entered a new stage of development.
The new type of curtain was named French precisely because of its origin. Next to the massive window, expensive and luxurious furniture, the curtain interior developed. Previously, the fabric was used to decorate not only window interiors, but also for walls. The magnificent rooms were decorated in the same color scheme as the walls of the room. Drapery, scallop gave the opportunity to decorate a room of any size, and a lambrequin became a sign of the family's condition.
Next to the French curtain, they began to actively develop the design of the Austrian (scalloped) one. The difference has always been that the first was created as something majestic, beautiful, and the Austrians focused on ease of use.
Austrian curtains are used for the kitchen, veranda or summer cafe. But the French one serves as a decoration of a residential or public space with sophistication.
How to sew French curtains yourself
How to sew French curtains to add extreme luxury to your home by hand.
Sewing a French curtain involves the implementation of specific actions. How to sew French curtains with your own hands step by step instructions:
- Unfold the curtain and iron it over it.
- Mark where the gathering tape will be sewn. Experts recommend removing the thread along the length of the entire web every half a meter. If this method does not suit a person, then you can smooth out these dots.
- Flip the fabric right side down and use the pins to secure the tape vertically.
- Place the braid with drapery closer to the corner. Iron the edge of the tape, then turn it over.
- Next step: darts are created. The number of darts is calculated by the number of screed lines. The calculation is done in this way: take the width of the fabric and divide it by 2.5. Then divide the number that you get by another 8. As a result, you get the sum of the opposite and side folds.
- When sewing on the tape, leave the ironed fabric in the center between the two sides of the tape.
- Hem the bottom of the curtain. To fix the folds, attach a small weight to the bottom of each direction line.
- Hide the top edge of the curtain with a ribbon. It is recommended to tighten the cords harder so that the waves come out the same.
- Waves can be decorated with ribbon or braid.
To sew a French curtain, you need basic knowledge and skills. Also, a person should be patient, attentive and diligent.
Selection of curtain design
When choosing a design, it is important to consider the type of room, size, application. Color matching is an important part of tailoring. Choose it based on the design of furniture, wallpaper, accessories. Light French tulle is perfect for dark rooms. For a spacious room, feel free to take dark and heavy colors, they will not oppress a house in which there is a lot of space.
In the summer, when it's insanely hot, take a bright, sunny fabric.
Important! Choose a solid color fabric. If you want with an ornament, then buy a curtain with an almost invisible pattern, because the clear lines on a large curtain will be lost in the folds and ripple.
To the kitchen
Kitchen windows can also be beautifully decorated with a French curtain. For sewing, it is better to use a soft synthetic fabric that does not need to be ironed. By the way, it is easy to wash. If the kitchen also serves as a dining room, then don't be afraid to create large folds from top to bottom.
The French curtain for the kitchen is created with your own hands using layouts from the Internet.
To the living room
The living room or hall will be transformed with French curtains in a new way. Guests will immediately notice the host's aesthetics and sense of taste. Polysyllabic curtains are perfect: lambrequin and decorations of different lengths. Do not take dense fabric, unless this is taken into account by the overall design.
Pick up antique accessories in the room or a grand piano if the interior has translucent curtains with thick gathering.
To the nursery
For a nursery, this type of curtain is rarely chosen. But if a little princess lives in the room, then such a trick will work "with a bang."
Into the bedroom
The French style fits perfectly into the bedroom, where you can feel like a king or queen. Uniform waves give the room comfort and harmony. Also, experts say that French curtains help spouses feel more confident and inclined towards an intimate atmosphere.
Which fabric is right
The type of fold will be created for French curtains, depending on the choice of material, both independently and in the studio. Factories sell products from 2 to 5 thousand rubles. But people choose hand tailoring because it is a fun process that will save money and create a unique product for everyone's preferences.
If a person does not have funds for an expensive fabric, then choose a light tulle or rayon. The drapery will turn out to be lush with a hard and light canvas. Pay attention, if you take a soft and dense fabric, then the folds will be roundish and "sagging".
Choice of tools
In order to sew a good French curtain, you need:
- The main canvas.
- Threads of the selected color.
- Tape to help tighten fabric.
- Plank in the width of the window opening or cornice.
Sewing curtains
It is important to correctly calculate the amount of canvas.Take a build factor of 1.5 for the width and a factor of 2 for the height. That is, if the curtain is 2 meters high, then 4 meters of fabric will be needed.
Additional Information! During sewing, you need to use a special tape, which guarantees the correct assembly of the product in operation. Also consider the height of the strip (5 centimeters at the bottom and 2 centimeters at the top).
There are detailed patterns of French curtains on the Internet. Thanks to them, you can better understand the workflow. Sometimes sewing requires joining two or more canvases. To hide the seams, you can sew on decorative tape in the same color as the main fabric.
Important! The distance between the seams of the assemblies is 50 centimeters. Consider this when preparing the canvas before sewing.
How can you make a decor
The decor for the French curtain is the most primitive. Basically, they choose ribbons or braid. If the fabric for sewing already contains the ornament, then nothing needs to be added. Do not create a product that will get bored after a week.
A French curtain is a good design solution for every family. Creating a French curtain with your own hands with step-by-step instructions and a photo is freely available. Having made a quality product on your own, it will delight you twice as much as buying a finished product in a store. Do not forget the simple rules and follow the instructions to make the designer French curtain look unique and tasteful.
Video: making French curtains with your own hands