How to Make Roman Blinds

Roman blinds are rather regarded as a complicated window treatment that one can only have made up professionally and at great expense.

This just isn't true.

This simple step by step guide will help you create your own professional roman blinds easily.

Calculate the fabric amount for your roman blind.

Fold a double 2cm hem along each side edge of the fabric. Ensure the raw edges are hidden. Press, pin and tack in place. Stitch using straight stitch.

Fold and press the fabric to create vertical lines spaced evenly approximately 30cm apart across the entire width of the fabric. These will be your guide lines for attaching the looped blind tape.

Pin, tack and sew strips of blind tape along these these guide lines, on the back of the fabric.

Start the first strip of tape close to the side edge. Position the tape so that the first loop is approximately 10cm up from the bottom edge of the blind.

Turn under the raw edges at either end.

Continue sewing strips of tape along each guide line, making sure the loops line up across the width of the blind.

At the bottom of the blind, turn up 1cm then another 5cm to create a hem. Stitch the hem in place. Insert a wooden lath (about 4cm deep) the same length as the width of the blind. Slip stitch the sides of the hems together to encase the lathe.

You want your blind to fall into neat horizontal folds when drawn up. To achieve this, it helps to sew horizontal tucks across the width of the fabric.Here's how:

Create 5mm tucks by folding wrong sides together and stitching 5mm from the edge of the fabric. Line up this first tuck with the level of the second loop from the bottom of the blind.

Continue creating more tucks at the same level of alternative rows of loops on the blind tape.

Ensure at all times you do not encase the loops on the blind tape within your folds. These need to be left free to insert the cord through. Make your tucks just under each loop.

Press the folds.

Now is the time to measure the drop of your fabric again. Make sure that by the time you have created a top hem and attached the fabric to the batten, that your finished length corresponds to the window drop. The drop of your fabric has been affected by how many horizontal tucks you have created and also the depth of the batten you are using at the top. Measure carefully. You may have to trim some of the fabric before continuing as follows:

Make a 2.5cm hem at the top of the blind. Be careful that your fabric isn't bulky at each corner, otherwise it will not sit flatly against the wooden lath.

Lay your second wooden lath about 3cm depth and the same length at the width of your fabric across the top of your fabric.

Turn the top of the fabric over to the back of the lath and staple in place. Ensure the staples are placed against the back of the lath when the blind is mounted.

Follow the instructions for inserting cord and installing your roman blind.

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