Roman Shades: How to Make Roman Shades

A touch of class and a touch of antiquity. This is what could perhaps be the best description of Roman shades. They are simple, yet elegant and better still, they are cost effective! Roman shades basically fall into the category of window blinds. It's just a piece of fabric hung from the top of a window casing, which is adequately wide and long enough to cover the window glass. Now to know what is the system involved in that, you will have to read on a bit further.

Now that you want to know the system, I guess, you would game for knowing the while story behind making roman shades. So let me open the magic box for you and lets get down to checking out Roman shades. How to make roman shades, at first glance may seem confusing and cumbersome, but as the task proceeds, it will become clearer.

Making Your Own Roman Shades

The things you would need, piece of sheer fabric, shade cord, 1 eye screw per cord, small plastic rings, yard stick of wood, a small brass ring per cord and a sew-in-weight per cord and 1 cord cleat.

Thread 1: First thing you do is measure your window or windows to mount the shade in the casing.

Thread 2: Now after the measurements, cut the fabric so that it allows 2 extra inches for hems on all sides. Then follow it up by adding 4 inches to both length and width measurements to go with the completed shade. Do not forget to cut the fabric on the grain by squaring the fabric.

Thread 3: Select the cords and rings and their placement. For windows wide till 24 inches, one cord on each side of the shade is perfect. Incase you want the shade to fall in two or three swags rather than 1, you might need another cord or two. Then, each cord should measure the same as the sum total of the length, breadth and width of the shade. You start off with lacing the cords from the bottom of the shade up, till the rings on the top of the shade. After that, the cord will go across the top of the shade to a side and then will hang down from the top.

Thread 4: For the top ring for each cord, a brass ring is used. Its because maximum pressure is on this ring. The rings are fitted horizontally up the shade. That will facilitate the folding of the shade horizontally when raised. This is an important step, in the how to make roman shades project.

Thread 5: Use a brass ring for every cord at the top of the shade and a plastic ring for cords at the bottom. Check the number of rings, if they are adequate enough, as you might just be required to adjust the number of cords, depending on the length of a shade. Don't forget the sew in weights.

Thread 6: Follow this up by hemming the sides and bottom. Facing the wrong side up, lay the fabric down. Fold the fabric 2 inches on both the sides and bottom of the shade, fixing them on the spot by pins. You can also iron across the edges. Then fold the 2 inch strip of fabric in half, which tuck an inch under and iron to crease. Repeat this on the other side.

Thread 7: Now cut the 1 inch square highlighted by the creases at all bottom corners. Keep in mind that there should be no overlapping with the sides at this juncture. Fold the remaining 1 inch along the crease lines produced, when ironed.

Thread 8: Fold the corners and tuck under at each bottom corner to create a diagonal line. Pin the place. Now sew the hemming, starting from 2 inches down - from the top, one side down, through the bottom through the upper side and discontinuing, when you are 2 inches short from the top.

Thread 9: After you are done with the earlier step, mark the positions for the cord rings at the back of the shade. Now sew the rings on the shade, using brass and plastic rings for top row and plastic, as you go down. Placing the bottom row of around 1/2 inch in from the edge, sew the weights below the rings onto the bottom hem. Cut the cord into requisite pieces and tie the cords to the bottom row of the rings. Then lace each cord through the corresponding rings to the top and through the brass rings over to one side.

Thread 10: Straighten the shade to make it lie flat and tie the chords together, around an inch past the brass string. Now you are done with making the shade. Hold the shade to the window and mark on the underside of the top casing of the window from each brass ring. At each marking, screw the eye screws to make them suspend straight down. After that fix the cord cleat. Open the brass rings just about enough for slipping them over the respective eye screw. Press the brass ring close, once it slips over the eye screw. Now you can straighten the loose cord ends and tie them below the cord cleat or the required length.

There you are! We have just gone through a bit harrowing and an interesting session of how to make roman shades. So now the next time you go in for interior decorating, shade your windows - Roman style!