Tie-up Balloon Shades

When I lived with my cousin and her family, in my bedroom she had some linen tie-up balloon shades that I absolutely loved. They were casual, but the little bows added some formality. They were easy to arrange, and when I moved out I decided I wanted my own. The options I found online were way too expensive, so I took another look at my cousin's and set out to make them myself. The below instructions use a sewing machine and assume a basic knowledge of sewing, but with the right fabric you can use fabric glue as well.

My finished curtains. They fit my old apartment windows perfectly, but my new windows were a little bigger...

I started out measuring my windows, length and width, then adding two inches on the width for seams, and four for length, to allow a large enough seam at the top (3") for the curtain rod. For example, if your windows are 36" x 24", you'll need a peice of fabric measuring 40" x 26".

When you go to pick out your fabric, keep in mind that a yard is 36", and home decor fabric is usually 54" wide at  JoAnn's. I didn't use a curtain liner for this project since I used a men's suit fabric, and it's the same on both sides. When buying fabric, it's better to have too much than too little, but you don't want to spend a ton of money either, so check to see if anybody has coupons before you go. (Extra fabric is great for throw pillows). Also, a word to the wise, STAY AWAY FROM JERSEY FABRIC OR ANYTHING "DRAPEY" OR LOOSE. It's a b*tch to work with.

Once you've got a fabric picked, the next thing you need is ribbon. You'll need two spools for each window, with each spool being twice the length of the window (think about it, it's going up one side and down the other).

When you get everything home, cut your fabric to size and start pinning the seams. I allow and inch for seams, so I can make them 1/2" wide and then double it over to hide the ratty edges. Pin the top, creating a pocket for your curtain rod. Mine are thin so I only needed a 1" pocket. Once everything is pinned, sew the sides and the bottom, leaving the top for last.

Roll it up and tie it. BOOM - balloon shade.

Measure and cut your ribbon, cutting a V at the ends so it doesn't fray. Measure a few inches (depending on where you want your ties) in on either side of the top seam and pin the very middle of your ribbon length to the top of the curtain. pin it again at the seam, so when you sew your top seam you sew the ribbon onto the curtain with it.

Finally, sew your last seam. When you're done go ahead and iron your piece, being careful of the ribbon if it's not a cotton blend. Then hang it up, tie it ever so perfectly, and enjoy!

Other notes: if you don't want to use ribbon, you can spend some time making fabric strips to use instead. I preferred the look and the ease of a ready-made ribbon.