Tailored roman blinds make an economical window dressing. Rods are set horizontally at intervals across the back so that the fabric folds into neat pleats when raised.
Roman blinds lie flat against a window and pull up into tailored horizontal pleats. They can be hung in virtually any type of room to good effect, by themselves or teamed with toning or matching curtains.
A roman blind fits inside or outside the window recess, either attached to a batten with touch-and-close fastening or to a special blind track with heading tape. It is drawn up into crisp pleats by means of cords and rings stitched to the reverse side of the blind. A wooden lath along the base of the blind keeps it hanging down straight, while fine dowels, inserted horizontally into casings at intervals down the blind, hold the pleats neatly taut against the window.
The first method shows a traditional way of making a lined roman blind with a series of casings sewn in the lining to hold the stiffening dowels. In a second, quicker method, a specialist roman blind tape is substituted for the casings and rings. You can also buy roman blind kits which eliminate much of the sewing.
Almost any fabric that is suitable for curtains can be used to make roman blinds. You must line the fabric, curtain lining is ideal, to form the dowel casings and protect the main fabric from sunlight. If you have to join widths of fabric to cover the window, position the seams at equal intervals across the width of the blind.
When sewing the blind, it is very important to make sure that you keep the stitching lines for the casings absolutely straight. Crooked stitching distorts the shape of the blind so that it does not pull up evenly.
The number of casings depends on the drop of the blind. As a rule, insert one casing every 10-12 inches (25-30cm).
Medium weight nylon cord and small curtain rings for pulling up the blind are available from curtain accessory departments. The rings are stitched to either end of each casing. On wide blinds, add extra cords and rings at equal intervals between the outer ones.
To work out how many rings you need, multiply the number of casings by the number or cords required. You need sufficient cord to run up each line of rings, across the top of the blind and down one side.
To make a Roman blind you will need:
- Measuring tape
- Wooden batten 2 x 1 inch (50 x 25mm)
- Wallplugs
- Angle irons (optional)
- Cotton furnishing fabric
- Matching sewing thread
- Lining
- Tailors’ chalk and ruler
- Wooden lath 1 x 1/8 inch (25 x 3mm)
- Lengths of dowel ¼ inch (6mm) diameter
- Nylon cord
- Sew n’ stick touch-and-close fastenings
- Tacks or staples
- Screw eyes
- Cleat and screws
FIXING THE BATTEN AND CUTTING OUT
To calculate fabric and fitment amounts it is easier to fix the batten in place first and then measure from the tip of the batten.
Fix the supporting batten to the top of the window recess or to the wall above it. If you cannot screw directly into the top of the window frame, or are fixing the batten outside the window recess, use angle irons or small brackets to support it.
1. Cutting the batten: Measure the width of the window and cut a batten to match. If fitting the batten outside the recess or at a window without a recess cut the batten 4 inches (10cm) longer than the measured width and mount it on angle irons at the desired height above the window.
2. Fixing the batten: Mark and drill holes at each end of the batten and at 12 inch (30cm) intervals in between. Mark through the fixing holes on to the wall, drill holes, fit wallplugs and screw the batten in place. If using angle irons, fix in the same way.
3. Cutting the fabric: Measure the length of the batten plus 2 ½ inches (6cm) for side seam allowances, and from the top edge of the batten to the sill, plus 5 1/8 inches (13cm) for the base lath casing and top hem. Cut the fabric to this size on the straight grain. If joining widths, allow for pattern matching and 1 1.4 inches (3cm) for each seam.
4. Cutting the lining: Cut a piece of lining, on the straight grain, to the same width as the fabric but be sure to add 1 ½ inches (6cm) to its length for each dowel casing required.
For a particularly decorative effect, line your blind with a contrasting fabric so that it looks good from the outside as well. For additional insulation or to exclude more light, add a layer of interlining between the fabric and lining.
SEWING THE BLIND
1. Preparing the lining: Lay the lining right side up. For the base lath, using tailors’ chalk, mark two parallel lines 5/8 inch (1.5cm) and 3 inches (7.5cm) up from the lower edge. For the dowel casings, divide and mark the lining above the base line into equal sections, 10 – 12 inches (25 – 30cm) wide. Then mark a parallel line 2 ½ inches (6cm) above each line. Press under 1 ½ inches (4cm) on the side edges of the lining.
2. Forming casings in lining: Ignoring chalk lines on the lining, match the other pairs of parallel lines, with wrong side together, pin and tack. Machine stitch together along chalk lines to form casings on the right side of the lining fabric. Cut dowels and a base lath the width of the lining.
3. Attaching lining to fabric: Press under 1 ¼ inches (3cm) on fabric, with wrong sides together and top and base edges even. Pin and tack fabric and lining together across the blind just above each casing. Working from the right side, machine stitch straight along the tacking lines. Leave the lower edges open.
4. Sewing sides and top: Leaving casings open, slipstitch lining to fabric on side edges. Turn back and machine stitch a 1 ½ inch (4cm) double hem along the top edge, mitering corners for a neat finish. Machine stitch the looped side of a strip of touch-and-close fastening 1/8 inch (3mm) from the top edge on the back of the blind.
5. Forming base casing: Using the chalk lines as a guide, press back a 5/8 inch (1.5cm) hem along the lower edge. Pin back a further 2 ¼ inch (6cm) to take the base lath. Check that the lath fits and machine stitch close to the pressed edge.
6. Adding rings, dowels and lath: Hand sew rings to each casing, 4 inches (10cm) from either end and at regular intervals in between. Slide dowels and lath into casings. Slipstitch casing ends closed.
7. Threading with cords: Cut the nylon cord into lengths long enough to run up each line of rings, across the top of the blind and down one side. Tie a cord to each ring along the lowest casing and thread each cord vertically through the rings to the top.
8. Fixing blind to batten: Stick the other half of the touch-and-close fastening strip to the front edge of the batten and knock in a few tacks to secure. Fix the blind in place. Fit screw eyes to the underside of the batten above each row of rings. Thread cords through the eyes and knot together at the right had side and at sill level. Fix a cleat beside the window to hold the cords when the blind is raised.
TO MAKE A QUICK ROMAN BLIND
To simplify making a roman blind, you can buy special roman blind tape. This is stitched horizontally across the back of the fabric to form the casings for the dowels. It is woven with loops to take the cords and eliminated the need to hand stitching curtain rings.
To would out the amount of tape you need, measure the width of the blind and multiply this figure by the number of casings; one every 10-12 inches (25-30cm) above the base lath. With the exception of rings, you need the same fabric and materials given for making the traditional roman blind.
1. Positioning batten: Cut and fix batten following instructions for traditional roman blind.
2. Cutting out fabric and lining: Measure the length of the batten, plus 1 ¼ inches (3cm), by the drop of the blind plus 4 inches (10cm) for the lower seam and top hem. Cut out fabric lining to these measurements on the straight grain.
3. Joining fabric and lining: Right sides together, pin and machine stitch fabric and lining along side seams, stopping 1 ¾ inches (4.5cm) from the lower edge. Stitch across the lower edge. Trim, turn to the right side and press in seam allowances of open side sections.
4. Forming lower casing: Working from the front, use tailors’ chalk to mark a line 1 ¼ inches (3cm) from the lower edge. Machine stitch straight across the blind along the marked line to form the lower casing.
5. Hemming top edge: Turn back and machine stitch a 1 ½ inch (4cm) double hem along the top edge, mitering the corners. Stitch looped side of touch-and-close fastening strip, 1/8 inch (3mm) from the top of the back edge.
6. Attaching tapes: With tailors’ chalk mark a line on the lining, 5 ¼ inches (13.5cm) up from the lower edge and at regular intervals, 10-12 inches (25-30cm) apart, above this line. Cut a length of tape for each line, the same width as the blind plus ¾ inch (2cm). Turn under 3/8 (1cm) at one end and pin across the blind, aligning the blue stitching guide along the chalk line. Machine stitch in place along stitching line, to within 1 ¼ inches (3cm) of free end.
7. Fitting dowels and base lath: For each tape, cut a length of dowel ½ inch (12mm) shorter than the blind’s width. Slide dowels through the blind tape. Turn under raw end of tape and slipstitch closed. Cut the base lath ¾ inch (2cm) shorter than the blind width and slide into the lower casing; slipstitch across ends.
8. Completing the blind: Using the loops on the tape for knotting and threading the cord, follow steps as for the traditional roman blind for threading the cords and fixing the blind in place.
