How to Sew a Roman Shade

Envisioning shades of your own making? Choose the fabric and get started. Here’s how:

Materials and Tools:

fabric
lining fabric
tape measure
scissors
scallop template
pencil
hook-and-loop tape
thin cording
small wooden dowel
1-by-x1-inch board
sewing needle
thread
staple gun
screw eyes
drill
screws

Steps:

1. To determine the length of the shade, divide the window length by 5, add that number to the length of the window and add seam allowances. For example, 35 inches divided by 5 is 7. Seven plus 35 plus an inch for seam allowances equals 43. Cut the fabric and lining according to your measurements.

2. Pin the fabrics with right sides together and trace/cut scallops along the bottom. Sew the two pieces together, leaving about a 6-inch opening along the top in the middle for turning. Snip small cuts in the seam allowances along the scallops so they lie flat, and then turn the shade right side out. Iron the edges so they’re crisp, and sew the opening shut.

Figure A

3. Sew one side of hook-and-loop tape along the top edge of the shade on the lining side. Measure and mark the lining along both sides (every 5 inches and then 1 inch, then another 5 inches and then another inch) to the bottom of the shade. Fold and pin the 1-inch areas to the back of the shade to create half-inch flaps. Once they’re sewn in, mark along each flap every 6 to 8 inches, depending on the width.

4. Count the number of marks along one flap and cut that many cords at least twice the length of the shade plus one shade width. Use a needle to sew the cording through the flaps at the marks, starting at the bottom and working up the shade (put a large knot at the bottom to keep the cording from pulling through).

5. To keep the shade sturdy and neat, slip a wooden dowel into the bottom flap.

Figure C

6. Cut the header board to the window width and staple the other side of the hook-and-loop tape to one narrow edge of it. Attach screw eyes to the adjoining side to line up with the cording on the shade.

7. Attach the header to the shade with the hook-and-loop tape. Feed the cords through the screw eyes and tie them together at one end.

8. Screw the header board to the window frame.

Note: If the length doesn’t come out evenly, make the bottom scallops a little longer to make up the difference.