7 How To…Shorten Curtain Panels Without a Sewing Machine

With several 108” curtain panels stacked neatly in our linen closet and two bare windows in our guest bedroom, we were excited to pull these bad boys out of hiding and repurpose them with a simple trim and a bit of iron-on adhesive.

Supplies

- Curtain panel in need of a trim
- Iron on fabric adhesive (we used 3/8” Heat n Bond)
- Iron
- Tape measurer
- Straight edge
- Pen


 
Find a big enough space to lay the panel out flat. Beware, cats may encroach.



Measure the distance that you would like the curtain panel to be, allowing a few additional inches to fold over as a cuff.

Example: We wanted our panels to be 92” when all was said and done, so we marked our panels for 96” to allow 4” for the cuff.

Use a straight edge to ensure that your cut is straight.
 

Make your cut.

 
Fold your fabric to the desired length of your cuff—we went with 4”—and iron to create a crease.

Place your adhesive sticky side down and follow the directions on the package for exact heating length, approximately 2-5 seconds.

 
Remove paper backing and allow adhesive to cool. Once cool, fold cuff and iron (8-10 seconds depending on package instructions).



Hang your lovely like-new panel and call it a day!

   

On an additional good-to-the-environment note, we reused two curtain rods that we’ve had idly hanging around the house for years.  With a similar finish, but mismatched ends, we hadn’t considered using them in the same room before.

Silly Wilkersons. We think they look great and definitely fit the shabby-chic feel of this guestroom. 

What do you think? Do mismatched curtain rods float your boat, or does the thought of it bring out the OCD in you?

-Cara