How to shorten curtains

When buying curtains or in connection with moving to a new place of residence, a situation may arise when the dimensions of the window opening and the curtains themselves do not correspond to each other, the canvas turns out to be longer.

In this case, it is required to shorten it. For this there is an atelier where the work will be done by specialists, but you can do it yourself, knowing the ways and some subtleties of shortening products.

Shorten the curtains

An experienced housewife can easily shorten the canvas. At the same time, there is no need to have a sewing machine, it will only be easier to carry out the plan with it.

It is recommended to hang the fabric on the ledge, it will take its final shape, after which it will be possible to make measurements. The very method of processing the bottom of any product directly depends on the fabric used. With the help of a double hem, you can hide the fabric within 30 cm without trimming, thereby shortening the curtain.

Important! If the curtains are made of thin materials (organza, silk), then traces of needle punctures may remain on their surface after basting. To avoid this, it is recommended to use a special adhesive strip "spider line", which is gently ironed with an iron, fastening the bent piece and the canvas itself. At the same time, iron only through gauze and lay the fabric on a towel.

The bottom of the fabric is also hemmed with the processing of the edges with various edging. The edging itself is a ribbon of fabric that folds in half, and its raw edges are bent inward. In the resulting pocket, the bottom of the curtain is brought in, fixed there with pins, then swept off and sewed up on a typewriter.

A variant with processing the top edge of the curtain is possible. For this, special tapes with ready-made fasteners are used. Such curtain tapes are distinguished by the variety of materials from which they are made, the width, as well as the number of fasteners. In addition, they are equipped with special threads, allowing you to create folds in the upper part of the canvas. This opens up a wide range of drapery options.

What is needed for this

For shortening you will need: the canvas itself, a needle, threads, braid, scissors, an iron, a centimeter tape, tailoring soap.

Process

The first step is to trim the edge. Haste at this stage is unacceptable, since it can lead to deformation of the canvas. The lateral edges are processed in the first place, the fabric is bent and ironed, after which it is sewn.

The next step is to fasten the braid to the top of the future curtains. The evenness and accuracy of the edges is ensured by folding the fabric by 2-3 cm, as well as ironing. Curtain braid in the same way is bent at both ends. The main thing is that the threads responsible for the formation of drapery, were released from the hem. After the prepared tape is attached to the wrong side of the curtain, it is sewn. Moreover, the number of seams themselves depends on the width of the tape. The algorithm is as follows: with a tape width of 5 cm, two seams are enough, the upper and lower; for a 10 cm braid, it makes sense to make three seams, etc.

The lower edge is double-hemmed.

Important! After any stitching, for which preliminary sewing was done, it is necessary to stretch the sewing threads.

After the curtains are shortened and hemmed, the stage of drapery formation begins.

In what cases it is necessary to shorten the curtains

Shortening curtains may be required in several cases:

  • if you want to make changes to the interior;
  • if the size of the window opening and the existing curtains do not match (for example, due to relocation);
  • if necessary, remove the edge of the woven fabric worn during operation, etc.

How to shorten curtains without cropping

In order to shorten the canvas without cutting, you will need the following:

  • the canvas itself with the processed edges to which the tape is sewn;
  • threads to the tone of takni;
  • needle;
  • scissors.

There are several ways to shorten. In the first method, you must first hang out the curtains on the ledge. Then with a manual stitch, stepping back from the edge of 5 cm, stitch vertically to the sides.

At the very beginning, i.e. from the middle of the height of the entire canvas, the thread should be fixed. Further, on the approach to the bottom, the stitch is slightly rounded. After that, the center is determined, and then it is stitched in exactly the same way as the sides were stitched, only the beginning should now be 20 cm higher. The curtain will be shortened by folds if you take turns pulling on the threads, the ends of which are freely left below. Once the required height is reached, the threads should be fixed. By analogy, the procedure is carried out in the second part.

Another way is to use a sewing machine, on which seams are made with a maximum set pitch.

Another option more acceptable for dense fabrics. This method is similar to the first, with the only difference being that instead of manual firmware, a transparent curtain tape is used, sewn from the inside. Thanks to this tape, you can adjust the length of the curtain, creating spectacular folds.

And finally, there is a way to shorten the curtains using special magnets, crabs and other devices.

How to shorten curtains without hemming

In order to do this, you need to purchase a special adhesive tape - "spider line". The sequence of steps with this method of shortening will be as follows:

  • the length to be removed is determined, and the canvas is tucked;
  • the fold line is carefully ironed;
  • a spider line is laid between the layers of fabric formed, ironed, the backing of the adhesive tape (if any) is peeled off;
  • the folded fabric is ironed, the cobweb is heated and glues the layers together.

If the length by which you want to shorten is large, you should use several layers of adhesive tape, or distribute it throughout the foldable fabric with a small step.

Attention! The method of shortening curtains without binder does not provide a long service life, since after several washes the adhesive tape begins to peel off. In this case, the gluing procedure should be repeated.

How to shorten roller blinds in width

Sometimes acquired roller blinds may be wider than a window opening. The problem is solved as follows. The canvas is brought into the expanded state, from the shaft on which it hangs, plugs are removed.

The bottom of the roll is equipped with a weighting material, which must be removed. Next, with the help of a ruler and a pencil, marking is carried out on the curtain itself. With scissors or a clerical knife, according to the marking, the excess part is cut off. The upper tube is cut, but with the expectation that it should be 7-8 cm longer than the canvas itself.

As a tool, a hacksaw for metal is quite suitable. The weighting agent is also shortened, but it should be shorter by only 1-1.5 cm. At the final stage, the parts are assembled together, and the fabric is tightly wound on the shaft. Thus, it is possible to shorten roller blinds without much effort, and then mount them in place.

“If the old interior is bored and no longer pleasing to the eye, do not rush to make repairs. For starters, try changing curtains ” - such advice is given by popular design publications. But is it that simple? Decorating window openings is an easy task only at first glance. Even when working with a ready-made “salon” project, difficulties arise, because any typical room can unexpectedly have its own unique characteristics.

Self-made furniture for windows poses even more questions for needlewomen. However, guided by the information presented above, it is quite possible to understand how to shorten it, how to do it without subjecting the fabric to cropping or hemming, how to finally hem and trim classic fabric curtains, and what to do if the rolled ones do not fit in width.