• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Blog
  • Reno Projects: House by House
    • Colonial Revival Cottage Reno (our current home)
    • Old House Reno (our last home)
    • Coastal Cottage in Maine
    • Aaron and Melissa’s 1970 Redo
    • Condo Renovation (a client’s home)
  • Details
    • Before & After
    • Holiday & Seasonal Decorating
    • Gardens
    • Details about House Parts
      • Interior Windows
      • Mantels
      • Details on Creating Tablescapes, Vignettes and Hanging Pictures
      • Lighting and Lamps
      • Closets and Storage
      • Furniture, Antiques & Accessories
    • Chalkboard Art and Hand Lettering Projects
    • Travel to Inspiring Places
  • DIY, Tutorials & Tips
  • My Favorite Shopping Links
  • e-Decorating Consultation
  • Blog
  • Reno Projects: House by House
    • Colonial Revival Cottage Reno (our current home)
    • Old House Reno (our last home)
    • Coastal Cottage in Maine
    • Aaron and Melissa’s 1970 Redo
    • Condo Renovation (a client’s home)
  • Details
    • Before & After
    • Holiday & Seasonal Decorating
    • Gardens
    • Details about House Parts
      • Interior Windows
      • Mantels
      • Details on Creating Tablescapes, Vignettes and Hanging Pictures
      • Lighting and Lamps
      • Closets and Storage
      • Furniture, Antiques & Accessories
    • Chalkboard Art and Hand Lettering Projects
    • Travel to Inspiring Places
  • DIY, Tutorials & Tips
  • My Favorite Shopping Links
  • e-Decorating Consultation

How I Made Custom Curtains Without a Sewing Machine

November 6, 2017

Where there’s a will, there really is usually a way… and there certainly is a way to do this… so if you don’t have a sewing machine, or just hate to sew, I’m going to tell you

how I made custom curtains without a sewing machine!

You just may be inspired to make some no sew curtains yourself using a few magical ingredients.

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Curtains without a Sewing Machine

No Sewing Machine? No Worry!

We are temporarily living in the freshly renovated lower level apartment of our newly purchased home, (a Mid-Century turned Colonial Revival Cottage style house) while the rest of the main house gets an overhaul.

The door in the apartment needed a privacy curtain for nightime. I actually love to sew, but the sewing machine is beyond packed away. It’s totally buried in storage behind pretty much all of our worldly possessions. Even if I knew where it was, I’m sure it’d be physically impossible to actually retrieve it.

Once we moved into the apartment a little over a week ago, we quickly realized that the entrance door actually has a view all the way down the hall, past the bathroom into the bedroom. We both are a little creeped out with uncovered windows when the black night hides everything outside the window.

Now I could have just put a film on the window, that allows light through, but distorts the clear glass, (Here is the tutorial showing the frosted glass film I put on the bedroom window) but the view out the entrance door window during the day is a lovely view of the pond just across the street… so a semi-permanent covering was out of the question.

Before

The door style is a cute cottage style.

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

It’s a newly installed steel door… I’m not willing to screw holes into it for shades or a curtain rod.

That could be a stumbling block too…

But, no worries, with a bit of magic I have an answer to that and the issue of no sewing machine and even one more magical solution up my sleeve to share with you.

Magnetic Rod

The magnetic rod is so perfect for a treatment like this door window. (Here is a shopping link for magnetic rods available in different finishes)

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Another Rod Option

If you have a wooden or fiberglass or another door… there is still hope! These hooks combined with a rod like this rod will work as well. They should easily come off the door when you’re done with them.

Step by Step

To make the curtain, cut the fabric. For this door window treatment, I just simply cut the fabric in half lengthwise:

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Just like when I’m sewing a curtain, the iron is an important part of getting the fabric turned into a curtain.

Pressing Side Seams

I always finish the sides of the curtain first. Then the bottom hem and top rod pocket finish cleanly with the sides already done.

So I pressed the raw edges in 1/2″ on each side of the curtain:

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Heat n’ Bond

The 2nd magical ingredient comes into play…

Heat n Bond iron-on adhesive: (here is a link for this same width HeatnBond)

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Using HeatnBond permanent iron-on adhesive that sticks once it’s ironed on, is kind of magical. One thing though, it is impossible to sew through a seam that has had HeatnBond adhesive used on it, the needle will not be able to penetrate the dried bonding glue.

This is where the difference between sewing custom curtains and using this iron-on adhesive starts to differ… Instead of folding and ironing the seam with a double fold… at this point, I placed the HeatnBond iron-on just on the inside edge of the single folded edge and pressed it in place.

The waxed paper backing on the HeatnBond stays on the top, so the iron won’t stick to it. It only takes a few seconds to melt the tape and get it to adhere to the fabric, so this was pretty quick.

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Tip

Here’s a tip: let the tape and fabric cool down, hence giving the tape time to harden, (it doesn’t harden hard and stiff… it’s more like a thin layer of flexible rubber) before you pull the waxed paper backing off the adhere it to the other side.

I found this out the hard way… I pulled it off too soon after ironing it and some of the adhesive was hot and gooey and came off with the paper. Easy to fix by adding more tape, but kind of a waste.

It really only takes a few seconds longer to let it cool properly, then:

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

I did have one section that was a pain to pull off the waxed paper backing. I’m not sure why, but the paper kept ripping and sticking to the ironed adhesive. I don’t think I did anything differently on that one piece when I ironed it, so maybe it was just a faulty strip from the company? All the rest came off quite easily though.

Finishing Edges

Now, to complete the finished edge along the side seam of the curtain, I folded it over again, this was positioning the other side of the Heat n Bond to the curtain. Then I pressed the curtain seam to a permanently bonded finished seam.

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Finishing Top and Bottom of Curtain

For the top and bottom of the curtain, it was basically the same. Only difference is that for the top, I wanted a narrow rod pocket to fit the magnetic rod through. Therefore, I folded the top down wider on the 2nd fold and was careful to keep the HeatnBond on the outside edge, leaving the actual rod pocket area open for the rod:

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Problems with Corners

I found that some of the corners didn’t bond well. I’m not sure why, but I was successful to get them to bond if I added extra tape to the corners and pressed them again:

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

That was it for the curtains.

To protect the daytime view and not have the curtains sneak shut during the day hours, I needed some tie-backs.

Burlap Ribbon Tie-Backs

I created them from some ribbon I found that had a burlap look, but unlike actual burlap that sheds fibers and unravels super easy, this ribbon had finished edges.

All I needed was to use a needle and thread to create a pinched end and stitched on a little ring to grab the hook:

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Custom Curtains All Done

Now the little window on the door lets light and a view in during the day with the curtains held open.

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

Command Hooks

Oh, one more magical ingredient…

The hook to hold the tie-backs:

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

It’s a Command 3M clear style mini hook with that famous adhesive backing that comes off cleanly. (I’ve shared different versions of these Command hooks with you, from the umbrella on the door to the deer antlers for Christmas. I love this 3M product… They work fantastically and this new smaller version is great!)

Close-up Detail

Here’s a close up of the finished no sew curtain.

SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Custom Curtains without a Sewing Machine

and the view out the window is still visible… during the day…

simpledecoratingtips.com how i made custom curtains without a sewing machine

Having a cozy little apartment to live in while the rest of the house gets worked on is wonderful! Making the apartment comfortable and function well is great for us during this time, but also a great opportunity to be sure it’s going to be good for the tenant, once we move out of the apartment into the main house and have this space rented.

Fun update!! This space is now my new design studio Frame and Frills, which also offers e-decorating services.

Did you know I now offer e-decorating? I can help you with your decorating needs via email, without having to step foot in your home. If you’re interested in more information, visit my e-decorating site: Frame and Frills. I’d love to help you with your project!

Here are more of my sewing tips and tutorials:

How to Sew a Pleated Valance
How to Sew a Pleated Valance
Front Entry Portiere
Front Entry Portiere
Simple DIY Curtain
Simple DIY Curtain
SEW Dog Kennel (Bunny Hutch) Fabric Cover
SEW Dog Kennel (Bunny Hutch) Fabric Cover
How I Made Curtains without a Sewing Machine
How I Made Curtains without a Sewing Machine
DIY Simple Curtain Panel
DIY Simple Curtain Panel
How to French Knot Wreath Pillow
How to French Knot Wreath Pillow
How to Fix a Quilt that is too Small
How to Fix a Quilt that is too Small
Vintage Wicker and Step by Step for Easy Sew Cushions
Vintage Wicker and Step by Step for Easy Sew Cushions
DIY Window Treatments
DIY Window Treatments
How to Simple Trimmed Window Treatments feature image with sides
How to Simple Trimmed Window Treatments feature image with sides
Valance Cornice Board Re-Do
Valance Cornice Board Re-Do
Before and After Kid's Rocking Chair Redo
Before and After Kid's Rocking Chair Redo
sewing felt christmas pillows
sewing felt christmas pillows

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please feel free to follow and share this blog with your friends, as well as on Facebook, Pinterest, Flipboard, Bloglovin, YouTube and now Instagram!  I appreciate you reading along.

This post is linked at the following other sites: HomeTalk, Skip to my Lou, DIY Showoff, Between Naps on the Porch

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. JoAnn says

    December 23, 2017 at 11:13 am

    To use that rod, your door has to be steel. Mine is wood. What can I use that won’t damage my new door?

    Reply
    • Liz says

      December 23, 2017 at 12:10 pm

      JoAnn, Thanks for stopping by. That’s a great question! For a wood door that I didn’t want to put screws into, I’d made a curtain rod using these hooks and a curtain rod like this. They easily remove without leaving a mark or any residue whatsoever. They’re great!

      Reply
  2. Amy Howarth says

    November 20, 2017 at 5:46 pm

    What a lovely and practical idea! I’m not very good at sewing so this is just the right project for me!

    Reply
    • Liz says

      November 20, 2017 at 5:48 pm

      Yay! I’m so glad you found this post encouraging. 🙂

      Reply
  3. JaneEllen says

    November 6, 2017 at 4:33 pm

    Great job, your curtains look so nice, perfect fabric choice for the door. Isn’t nice to have products to make things easier on us? I had to make a curtain for our back door, don’t like people to look in. Did what you did to make curtain and even lined the curtain since fabric was lighter. Just included the lining when making the top rod pocket so the lining could be stuck in top rod pocket at same time. Had to use bottom part of curtain for different rod pocket. Love those magnetic rods.
    Happy daze

    Reply
    • Liz says

      November 6, 2017 at 8:57 pm

      Thanks so much Jane Ellen.

      Reply

Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Our Whole House Renovation: Mid-Century into Colonial Revival Cottage Style

Tiling the 2nd bath floor
Tiling the 2nd bath floor
SimpleDecoratingTips.com
SimpleDecoratingTips.com
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Door & Window Decisions
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Door & Window Decisions
Simple DIY Curtain
Simple DIY Curtain
SimpleDecoratingTips.com How to tips Window Well Installation
SimpleDecoratingTips.com How to tips Window Well Installation
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Basement Apartment Progress
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Basement Apartment Progress
Front Entry Portiere
Front Entry Portiere
Before and After Front Entry Renovation SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Before and After Front Entry Renovation SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Vintage Window Awning Redo SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Vintage Window Awning Redo SimpleDecoratingTips.com
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Renovating Update Post
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Renovating Update Post
How to Install an Interior Storm Window SimpleDecoratingTips.com
How to Install an Interior Storm Window SimpleDecoratingTips.com
how to install a vintage ceiling light fixture simpledecoratingtips.com
how to install a vintage ceiling light fixture simpledecoratingtips.com
Before and After Living Room Renovation
Before and After Living Room Renovation
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Surface Mounted Suspended Ceiling
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Surface Mounted Suspended Ceiling
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Renovating the Basement Apartment
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Renovating the Basement Apartment
Hang a Group of Pictures with even spacing SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Hang a Group of Pictures with even spacing SimpleDecoratingTips.com
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Adding a Front Porch
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Adding a Front Porch
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Progress Report on our Whole House Renovation
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Progress Report on our Whole House Renovation
SimpleDecoratingTips.com How to Change a Door Lock
SimpleDecoratingTips.com How to Change a Door Lock
SimpleDecoratingTips.com we had to cut down 13 trees
SimpleDecoratingTips.com we had to cut down 13 trees
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Repurposing Cabinets
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Repurposing Cabinets
hall closet into library simpledecoratingtips.com
hall closet into library simpledecoratingtips.com
Creating a Built-In Faux Fireplace
Creating a Built-In Faux Fireplace
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Cedar Closet Lining
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Cedar Closet Lining
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Renovating a Whole House is a Lot
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Renovating a Whole House is a Lot
Wall Mounted Pot Rack
Wall Mounted Pot Rack
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Basement Apartment Bathroom Renovation Done
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Basement Apartment Bathroom Renovation Done
Fireplace Renovation SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Fireplace Renovation SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Repurposing Vintage Screen Door
Repurposing Vintage Screen Door
SimpleDecoratingTips.com From a Tub to a Shower
SimpleDecoratingTips.com From a Tub to a Shower
SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Curtains without a Sewing Machine
SimpleDecoratingTips.com How I Made Curtains without a Sewing Machine
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Luxury Vinyl Planks
SimpleDecoratingTips.com Luxury Vinyl Planks
Incorporating Vintage & New Light Fixtures SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Incorporating Vintage & New Light Fixtures SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Dining Room Progress SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Dining Room Progress SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Antique Inspired Kitchen Island
Antique Inspired Kitchen Island
front porch addition mostly done SimpleDecoratingTips.com
front porch addition mostly done SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Main Floor Completion Celebration Giveaway SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Main Floor Completion Celebration Giveaway SimpleDecoratingTips.com
Re-Thinking the Living Room Furniture Plan
Re-Thinking the Living Room Furniture Plan

Footer

Shop Decor Steals

AntiqueFarmHouse

Have you noticed this site is faster?! It’s because I switched to SiteGround!!

Web Hosting

Disclosure Policy: According to FTC guidelines, I want you to be aware that some of the content of this blog may be a source of income and therefore may be used to promote products, services, or other businesses. I will only choose to promote products/services/businesses that I feel will be beneficial to my readers. While I hope to generate a small profit for my time and effort to create this blog, I hold myself to the highest standard of integrity. I appreciate my readers, and make it my goal to deliver quality, honest material on this blog through each post. Thanks for reading along, Liz

Copyright

Sharing is great! Please feel free to share this blog with your friends, as well as on Facebook and Pinterest and Flipboard and Houzz and YouTube the more the merrier! I appreciate you stopping by. But please remember that all photos, images, text and content are owned by SimpleDecoratingTips.com. So anything you share, please be sure it always links back to my original post it came from. Please do not remove watermarks, crop or edit anything without written permission from me first.

Disclosure Policy: According to the FTC guidelines, I want you to be aware that this blog is a source of income and may occasionally incorporate endorsements or testimonials and shopping links. It is important to me to disclose this to you. The content of this blog is a source of income and therefore may be used to promote products, services, or other businesses. I will only choose to promote products/services/businesses that I feel will be beneficial to my readers. Products provided to me by my advertising partners for my review are given to me free of charge with no cost to myself. This does not ensure a positive review of the product in any way. While I hope to generate a small profit for my time and effort to create this blog, I hold myself to the highest standard of integrity. I appreciate my readers, and always make it my goal to deliver quality, honest material on this blog through each post. Thanks for reading along, Liz

Graphics Fairy

Graphics Fairy

Feedspot

Feedspot


My Household Tips and Tutorials for You:

DIY  natural sachets
DIY natural sachets
DIY Natural Simmering Potpourri simpledecoratingtips
DIY Natural Simmering Potpourri simpledecoratingtips
How to Clean Spilled Wax
How to Clean Spilled Wax
How to Remove Pet Urine Stains
How to Remove Pet Urine Stains
Packing & Moving Tips
Packing & Moving Tips
How to Avoid a Greasy Mess when Frying on the Stove
How to Avoid a Greasy Mess when Frying on the Stove
how to naturally clean silver
how to naturally clean silver
7 Simple Hangers and How to Use Them
7 Simple Hangers and How to Use Them
How to Hang a Wall Mounted Lamp
How to Hang a Wall Mounted Lamp
how to install a vintage ceiling light fixture simpledecoratingtips.com
how to install a vintage ceiling light fixture simpledecoratingtips.com
How to Remove Carpet Depressions
How to Remove Carpet Depressions
Make your own Natural Potpourri
Make your own Natural Potpourri
Five Ways Hardware made a Difference
Five Ways Hardware made a Difference
Housekeeping Naturally
Housekeeping Naturally
How to hang a window box SimpleDecoratingTips.com
How to hang a window box SimpleDecoratingTips.com
First Aid Remove Sticky Residue
First Aid Remove Sticky Residue
How to Mount a Door Knocker in a Hollow Steel Door
How to Mount a Door Knocker in a Hollow Steel Door
Hang a Group of Pictures with even spacing
Hang a Group of Pictures with even spacing
how to install a floating shelf
how to install a floating shelf
Plate Hanger
Plate Hanger

Gardening Tips

before  after circular garden
before after circular garden
Before and After Landscape and a DIY Pergola
Before and After Landscape and a DIY Pergola
2 pergolas  garden update
2 pergolas garden update
Transplanting Stella D'Oro Daylilies
Transplanting Stella D'Oro Daylilies
The-Beauty-of-Fences1
The-Beauty-of-Fences1
before  after front garden landscaping
before after front garden landscaping
Potting Shed
Potting Shed
we had to cut down 13 trees
we had to cut down 13 trees
spring-planter-arrangement
spring-planter-arrangement
raised bed container gardening title
raised bed container gardening title
Garden & Landscape Inspiration
Garden & Landscape Inspiration
Humidity Tray for Orchids
Humidity Tray for Orchids
Kid's Craft DIY Miniature Fairy Garden
Kid's Craft DIY Miniature Fairy Garden
Backyard Boat Pond
Backyard Boat Pond
snug-harbor-farm
snug-harbor-farm
Ingenious Tips to DIY this Planter
Ingenious Tips to DIY this Planter
before and after front terraced garden
before and after front terraced garden
DIY Window Well Installation
DIY Window Well Installation
rooftop-garden
rooftop-garden
Growing Grass in a Vintage Scale
Growing Grass in a Vintage Scale
Creative-Planters
Creative-Planters
How I re-did these Concrete Lions
How I re-did these Concrete Lions
1-in the garden with water walls and cloches
1-in the garden with water walls and cloches
moving-a-screened-gazebo-onto-the-property
moving-a-screened-gazebo-onto-the-property
How to Prune a Peegee Hydrangea
How to Prune a Peegee Hydrangea
The-Story-of-a-Blue-Jay-Title-Page
The-Story-of-a-Blue-Jay-Title-Page
DIY Brick Edging
DIY Brick Edging
What-is-this?
What-is-this?
Tips on Forcing Bulbs Indoors
Tips on Forcing Bulbs Indoors
DIY Simple Deer Proofing
DIY Simple Deer Proofing
Creating-an-Oasis-with-a-Water-Fountain
Creating-an-Oasis-with-a-Water-Fountain
Turtles and Window Boxes
Turtles and Window Boxes
Window-Boxes-inside-a-2nd-story-porch
Window-Boxes-inside-a-2nd-story-porch
install this arbor and fence in one day
install this arbor and fence in one day
DIY Hanging Terrarium
DIY Hanging Terrarium
DIY Compost Bins
DIY Compost Bins

Copyright © 2021 · Genesis Sample Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Blog
  • Reno Projects: House by House
    • Colonial Revival Cottage Reno (our current home)
    • Old House Reno (our last home)
    • Coastal Cottage in Maine
    • Aaron and Melissa’s 1970 Redo
    • Condo Renovation (a client’s home)
  • Details
    • Before & After
    • Holiday & Seasonal Decorating
    • Gardens
    • Details about House Parts
      • Interior Windows
      • Mantels
      • Details on Creating Tablescapes, Vignettes and Hanging Pictures
      • Lighting and Lamps
      • Closets and Storage
      • Furniture, Antiques & Accessories
    • Chalkboard Art and Hand Lettering Projects
    • Travel to Inspiring Places
  • DIY, Tutorials & Tips
  • My Favorite Shopping Links
  • e-Decorating Consultation
↞
↠
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.