Sew Easy DIY Cafe Curtains

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I’ve always wanted to sew up some cute little DIY cafe curtains, and I finally got the chance to make some for our laundry room! I think that cafe curtains are so understated and country chic. They look right at home in our vintage-inspired decor in our laundry room. These curtains are SO easy to make – they would make a great beginning sewing project if you’re just starting out. All that’s required to sew these easy cafe curtains is a bit of measuring, some pressing, and some machine hemming. Simple!

I chose to make these curtains extra easy by using curtain clips to attach them to my cafe rod. The clips add a nice variation in texture to the curtains – I like the hardness of the metal against the softness of the fabric.

How to make easy DIY cafe curtains

I also chose to edge these with some vintage looking crochet cotton lace trim, but you could leave the edge plain instead.

Small Laundry Room Organization & Decor Ideas

These curtains tie in with my ironing board cover – I used this gorgeous Waverly print for both. Cafe curtains not only look adorable, but they’re a budget friendly way to add a little more privacy to your space. I love the look of these in a laundry room, on a bathroom window, or over a kitchen sink.

Here’s how to sew easy DIY cafe curtains

You Will Need

No-Sew DIY Cafe Curtain Alternatives

If you don’t want to sew cafe curtains, you could consider the following ideas:

  • use pretty tea towels or cloth napkins and hang them on to the cafe rod with the curtain clips
  • instead of sewing the hems of the curtains, use a good fabric glue (like this one)

Directions (For Two Panels)

How to make easy DIY cafe curtains

Installing the Cafe Curtain Rod

Install your cafe rod onto your window frame. I chose to install mine halfway down the frame and directly onto the outer side of the window trim. Typically, a cafe curtain will be installed on the lower half of the window.

You could also install a small tension rod to the inside of the window if you desire, but I prefer the look of a contrasting cafe rod.

Measuring for the Curtains

Measure from the rod to where you want the curtains to hang. Mine falls just below the bottom trim beneath my window sill. Add 2 inches to get the height of your panels (3 inches for the top and bottom hem minus one inch for the drop of the curtain clips).

The width of each of your panels will be the width between your curtain rod brackets plus 2 inches (to account for the side hems). I like to make my curtains 2x the width of my windows so that they have a lot of body even when closed.

Cutting the Fabric

Cut two panels that are the height and width that you’ve calculated out of your fabric. Use a straight edge to ensure the  panels are nice and square and make sure you watch for fabric grain and/or pattern direction before you cut.

How to make easy DIY cafe curtains

Sewing the Side Hems

Fold all of the sides of your panels over 1/2″ and press. Fold them over another 1/2″ and press to create the side hems. Use pins to hold the hems in place, and sew them about 1/8″ from the fold with a sewing machine.

How to make easy DIY cafe curtains

Sewing the Top & Bottom Hems

Fold the tops and bottoms of the panels over 1/2″ and press. Fold them over another 1″ and press to create the top and bottom hems. I like these ones a little more substantial to add some weight to the panels so that they hang nicely.

Press each curtain panel to make them look crisp, finished, and to remove any wrinkles.

How to make easy DIY cafe curtains

Adding the Trim

If you wish, you can then add some trim to the bottom hems of each curtain panel by stitching some over the lower hem. I hung my lace over the hem so that you could see its detail.

Hanging the DIY Cafe Curtains

Clip the curtain rings onto the top hem of your panels by measuring the panels to make sure the clips are evenly spaced. Thread the rings onto your curtain rod and you’re done!

These adorable cafe curtains would also look right at home in a kitchen window, don’t you think?

Happy curtain-making, friends!

This post was first published in 2015 and has since been updated.

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