How to Make Roman Blinds

Measuring

Calculating Fabric Quantities

Cutting Fabric

Sewing Roman Blinds

• Lay fabric on a flat surface, facing upwards.
• Lay the lining on top, facing upwards, matching the edges together. Pin them together.
• Stitch down both sides and along the bottom edges, 2cm in from the edges.
• Make a second row of stitches across the bottom, 5mm in from the edge. Insert a dowel into the gap between the 2 rows of stitches.
• Turn the blind the right side.
• Lay the blind on a flat surface, lining side up, and pin the two layers together all over.
• Make a pencil line across the width of the blind, 5 cm from the top edge.
• Divide the rest of the length into equal sections of between 20 and 30cm with a 10 to 15cm section at the bottom edge and make a mark.
• Draw a line across the width of the lining at these marks. All these lines should be parallel to the top and at right angles to the sides. These line represent where the pockets will go.
• To make up the pockets to hold the dowels, cut strips of lining fabric 8cm wide and as long as the blind is wide. There will be 1 strip for each whole pleat.
• Fold each strip in half width and machine stitch across 1 end and along the length 1cm in from the edges.
• Turn right side out.
• Pin the folded side of the pockets to the pencil lines, 1cm above the marked lines with the ends of the pockets 1cm in from each side of the blind.
• Sew the pockets to the blind along the pencil lines.
• Slide a length of wooden dowelling into each pocket and sew the open ends shut.
• Sew the plastic rings to the outer edges of the pockets. These should be positioned in rows down the length of the blind 5 cm in from each side edge and between 20 to 40cm intervals evenly across the blind.
• Fold down 3cm to the lining side at the top.
• Pin and stitch the Velcro across the top of the blind, on the lining side, close to the fold.
• Hang the blind by pressing the 2 sides of the Velcro together.
• Screw an eyelet into the underside of the batten directly above each line of rings on the blind and 1 at the end of the batten to the side that the blind will be operated from.
• Cut the nylon cord into however many vertical rings exist and knot 1 length to each bottom ring. Thread the cords up through the line of rings and through the eyes on the batten taking all cords to 1 side of the window.
• Cut the cords level so they are level, thread them through the acorn and make a knot.
• Fix the cleat at the side of the window.
• Congratulations, your custom roman blinds are now ready..