DIY Shirred Curtain Sewing Styles

Red curtains make a powerful design statement, injecting energy, warmth, and drama into any space they adorn. This bold color choice ranges from deep burgundies that evoke old-world luxury to bright scarlets that create modern vibrancy. Red’s psychological impact—associated with passion, excitement, and warmth—makes it particularly effective in living rooms and dining areas where stimulating conversation is desired. The color’s intensity can be balanced with neutral walls and furnishings or embraced fully for maximalist impact. Practical considerations for red curtains include selecting fade-resistant fabrics, as bright reds can be susceptible to sunlight bleaching over time. Many high-quality red curtains use solution-dyed fabrics or UV-protective linings to maintain their rich hue. Red works beautifully with various materials—velvet for opulence, linen for casual elegance, or silk for formal spaces. When paired with metallic accents like gold or brass hardware, red curtains achieve especially luxurious effects. This versatile color can read as traditional in dark tones or contemporary in bright shades, adapting to diverse interior styles while always commanding attention.

sewing project

Pencil pleats are thin, even pleats used in drapery headings, valances, and bed skirts. Using shirring tape makes creating these pleats simple. You can control how tight or loose you want the pleats. Like the fabric used in this project? Drapery fabric isn’t just for decor. You can use it in fashion too, like this circle skirt Jen made with the same fabric as these pencil pleat curtains. Want to get the printable PDF instructions? Sign up to our mailing list to download the PDF. Sign Up Here!

Sew Fun

Sew many good intentions

Transforming fabric panels into curtains is easy! Well hello, good-looking windows! It’s amazing how a window refresh can update the entire look of room. It’s even more amazing that curtains can be made pretty easily using Dritz® drapery tapes. Our friends at Sew4Home™ are really experts on the topic of window treatments. Are you ready to become an expert, too? Check out this rod loop tape. Simply sew this tape onto the back of fabric panels and turn them into curtains. They look so professional and are so easy to hang! Clip ring tape is also sewn onto the back of fabric panels. The tape has little openings to accommodate clip rings, ensuring that your hardware is evenly spaced, and that your curtains are hanging straight! Iron-on shirring tape is yet another wonder product! See it in action here – it really is easy to apply, right? Nice pleats and gathers are yours in an instant. Ready to get started? Visit Sew4Home™ to see how to use these tapes to make a variety of curtains. Their site is packed with a variety of curtain styles, and step-by-step photography and instructions show you precisely how it’s done. Other resources include the curtain …

Interiors

Sewing

I don’t know about you, but for me the windows are an important part of the house, which many people neglect and forget to take care of. But I personall…

Window Treatments

Making DIY Roman shades isn’t an easy feat, but these tutorials will help you. Get bragging rights for conquering a project once thought no beginner can do!

Home Ideas

Time takes a toll on your white curtains if you leave them hanging for a while. Everyday dust and dirt accumulates on any fabric, so eventually your drapes will need cleaning. If you have a smoker in the house or your curtains are in the kitchen near the stove, they often take on a decidedly dingy cast. Antique or …