As part of my Bathroom, upstairs loo makeover and finishing off the downstairs loo (which we rather grandly call the boot room) I wanted to add blinds to all the windows. The loo’s in particular gets quite cold in the winter especially as they have draughty old sash windows and no heating! So not only will blinds add to the rooms visually they will also help to keep the rooms warmer in the winter. And for that matter cooler in the summer. I didn’t want anything too formal by way of fabric or style of blind so I thought I’d share how to make a relaxed roman blind with you. They’re super easy to make and only take about an hour from start to finish. Here’s how to make your own.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE A RELAXED ROMAN BLIND
Fabric Of Your Choice – I’m using Dianne Green from Anna Hayman
Lining Fabric
Stick And Sew Velcro
Staple gun
Blind Cord
Small Rings
A Cleat
A Screwdriver
A Pull
2 Eyelet Screws
Scissors
Pins
Thread (To Match Your Fabric)
A Sewing Machine
SIMPLE STEPS TO FOLLOW TO MAKE A RELAXED ROMAN BLIND
First things first decide where you would like your blind to sit. I’m making mine to sit inside my sash windows and window rebate but as all windows vary this is the first and most important step. Decide if your blind is going to sit inside your window recess or outside it. Next measure the height and width of your chosen position and take a note of this on a piece of paper. Remember to measure both sides for height and the top and bottom for width especially if you live in an older property where your walls aren’t straight. Now add 4cm to the width and 6cm to the height. Take this measurement and cut to size your fabric of choice. Lay this right sides together on your lining fabric. Pin them together and cut the lining to match your fabric. Now head over to your sewing machine.
Place your needle 2cm in from the edge and sew down both sides first and then the bottom edge using straight stitch. Leave the top edges completely open.
Now snip the bottom two corners across at an angle to enable you to turn it inside out. Give the blind an iron to press in the seams you have just made. Iron from the bottom towards the top and then pin together you lining and fabric at the open top.
Head back to your sewing machine and using zig zag stitch sew the opening closed. Now grab your stick and sew velcro and measure up from the bottom of your blind to the size of your window. Pin the ‘sew’ side along at this height onto the right side of the fabric. Snip to size and then sew in place as close to the edge of the velcro as possible. Phew, you’re almost there and no longer need the sewing machine. See how easy this is!!
Now we are going to create the folds that will form once the blind is raised at your window. My blinds aren’t very long so don’t need many rings thankfully. To calculate where to place the rings divide the height of your blind by an odd number. For instance if your blind is 70cm long and you want your folds to be around 10cm in depth divide the length by 7. This means you first ring with be sewn into place 10cm up from the bottom of your blind and 10cm in from the side. Repeat with the opposite side.
Then measure up 20cm from those rings and place another pair of rings 10cm in from the sides and so on until you reach your velcro (don’t sew any rings here). The reason for doubling the measurement after the first rings is so that you don’t end up with a flap of fabric showing at the bottom when the blind is lifted.
Sewing on a ring is very much like sewing on a button which I’m sure most of us can do. Grab a needle and thread in a colour to match your main fabric and tie a knot at the end. Pass the needle through from back to front and then back up again to the reverse side. Now pass it over the ring and back down through the fabric again. Keep repeating this until the ring is firmly held in place and then snip the thread and move onto your next ring until they are all neatly in place.
You’re almost ready to hang your blind now but before that we need to add the blind cords which is super easy. Add together the length of both sides of your blind plus the width and cut two lengths of cord to this measurement. Then tie one end of cord onto each bottom ring of your blind before passing them up and through the other rings.
Hurrah! Your blind is now complete and ready to hang. Grab your ‘stick’ side of the velcro, staple gun, cleat, a screwdriver and your pull along with your blind and head to your window. Then after cutting your velcro to the correct width, stick it in the place you are hanging your blind. Which in my case is inside the window frame. And then staple it in place too for good measure. This works for me because I’m fixing mine directly to a wooden window but If you are attaching to a wall or a different configuration I would recommend placing the velcro onto a wooden baton and then screwing this to your wall. Now screw in your eyelet screws 10cm in from either side so that they will be in line with the rings of your blind.
Finally, the last thing to do before hanging your blind is to choose a place for your cleat, I recommend around half way up your window. Just a quick note hear though. Please be aware that if you have small ones at home make sure to place it high enough that it cannot be reached as it is a potential choking hazard. Once you decide on the height just use your screwdriver to attach it to your wall or window frame.
Oh my, we are nearly there now. You are moments away from standing back and admiring your handiwork. Fold over the velcro on your blind so that it is now on the reverse and carefully attach it to your window velcro. Pass the left hand cord through your left eyelet and then the right one and let it hang down. Place the right hand cord through the right hand eyelet only and let that hang down too. Now comes the only fiddly bit of the whole process.
Pass both cords through the blind pull and then pull on them. What we are trying to do is raise the blind as far as it will go. You will have to fiddle with the fabric to make the blind take the proper shape. It hasn’t got a memory of where it’s supposed to go as yet. Keep faffing until you have it looking like a proper blind and that it’s also level too. And now tie a knot in the cords. Don’t worry that one is now longer than the other, that’s exactly as it should be. Cut away the excess cord and pull down the blind pull to cover the knot.
Now all you have to do is lower the blind to your chosen height. Then wrap the cord around the cleat to keep it there. And Voila! There we have it! A stylish window treatment that’s easy to make, doesn’t cost the earth and looks a million dollars. What do you think? Will you give it a try? Happy to answer any questions if you have any, please do leave a comment below.
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