It doesn’t require much time to sew curtain panels using weights in the hem, that retains the drapes from billowing as soon as the window is open and a breeze kicks up. People often mistakenly confuse drapes with drapes. Mirrors are just one layer window treatments that are normally installed on a very simple curtain rod via the pole pocket to the curtain. The exception is restaurant curtains which are connected to the curtain pole with a metal loop that clips to the top of the curtain. You can add weights inside the hem of cafe curtains as well. Replace the pole pocket having a secondary hem when creating complete cafe curtains.
Measure the width of the curtain and multiply that dimension by 2 to permit curtain fullness. Add 2 inches to that measurement to account for 1/2-inch side hems on every side of the two panels to cover the window. Assess the amount of the curtain from the curtain rod to just below the window — longer if you want the drapes to hang beneath the windowsill. Add 3 1/4 ins to accommodate the pole pocket and upwards to 3 1/4 ins to your hem.
Cut the cloth to match the measurements. As an instance, if you have a 6-foot-wide window that is 4 feet tall, then you will need 12 feet, 2 inches of fabric to your window’s width and 4 feet, 6 1/2 inches to accommodate its height, the pole pocket and the hem to hold the weights.
Measure and cut the 12-feet, 2-inch fabric into two identical segments to ensure that every section equals 6 feet, 1 inch.
Fold the hem above 1 1/2 inches, straight to the wrong side of the cloth with 1/4 inch folded at the base for a finished look. Iron these folds, as you want them to remain in place. Insert the curtain weights — cloth-covered square or rectangular bars — one in each corner and at the center of every curtain panel. You need six weights for the example window. Sandwich the very top of the cloth-covered weight, pinning it in place so it’s picked up from the stitching when you sew the hem.
Sew the hem on the sewing machine along the 1/4-inch folded-under border. Use care when nearing the weights. Keep the weights to the remaining sewing foot and needle when sewing the hem. You can use pins to maintain the hem flat as you sew, removing the pins as you near them.
Fold and pin the sides so you get a 1/4-inch hem to the wrong side of the cloth, with the rough edge tucked under the fold. Sew the side seams using the straight stitch on the sewing machine, removing the pins.
Pin 1/4 inch under, and then fold the top of the panel 1 1/2 inches to the wrong side of the panel on very top. Sew across the 1/4-inch folded edge to form the pole pocket.
Thread the rod through every curtain panel, and adjust the drapes to fit across your windows using the gathers equally spaced. The dual yardage enables for the fullness throughout the window, and the weights maintain the drapes hanging straight.