Decide where your curtain rod will go and how far below the window you want the curtains to hang. Measure this distance and add 13 inches (8 inches for tabs; 5 inches for a hem). This is the length.
Decide how far over the frame you want your curtains to extend on the sides. Measure from side to side and add 25 percent (for example, if you measure 20 inches, add 5 inches). This is the width.
Decide how far over the frame you want your curtains to extend on the sides. Measure from side to side and add 25 percent (for example, if you measure 20 inches, add 5 inches). This is the width.
Use these measurements to calculate how much fabric you’ll need. Get the fabric and preshrink it.
1. Cut out your curtains according to your measurements, one piece per window.
2. Measure and cut the tabs. Narrow-hem both long sides and the tabs.
3. Machine hem the bottom of the curtains. Bend the tabs over backward so that the fabric is wrong side in and stitch by machine or hand.
Measuring and Cutting the Tabs – Steps:
Visualize a castle. Tab-top curtains look just like the crenelations on a castle. Your goal is to create tabs that alternate with empty spaces of about equal width. Measure the width of your curtain.
Calculate how wide you want your tabs to be and how many of them will fit. The exact measurements don’t matter, but you’ll need an odd number of tabs and spaces in total, because you need one more tab than you have spaces. Tabs and spaces should be 3 to 5 inches wide, and each curtain should have at least five tabs.
Cut out the spaces between the tabs. At the cut corners, make a 1/2-inch diagonal cut, so that the tabs will lie smooth after hemming.
Tips:
Here are some examples: A 45-inch-wide curtain could have five tabs and four spaces of 5 inches each. A 36-inch-wide curtain could have five tabs and four spaces of 4 inches each. A 30-inch-wide curtain could have four spaces of 3 inches each and five tabs of 3 3/5 inches each.
Hemming – Steps:
Calculate how wide you want your tabs to be and how many of them will fit. The exact measurements don’t matter, but you’ll need an odd number of tabs and spaces in total, because you need one more tab than you have spaces. Tabs and spaces should be 3 to 5 inches wide, and each curtain should have at least five tabs.
Cut out the spaces between the tabs. At the cut corners, make a 1/2-inch diagonal cut, so that the tabs will lie smooth after hemming.
Tips:
Here are some examples: A 45-inch-wide curtain could have five tabs and four spaces of 5 inches each. A 36-inch-wide curtain could have five tabs and four spaces of 4 inches each. A 30-inch-wide curtain could have four spaces of 3 inches each and five tabs of 3 3/5 inches each.
Hemming – Steps:
1. Turn over 1/4 inch and press to narrow-hem. Turn over another 1/4 inch and press again.
2.Machine stitch. Turn over half your hem allowance and press if you’re using a standard machine hem.
3. Turn over the other half of your hem allowance and press again. Machine stitch.
Overall Tips:
Overall Tips:
You can use as many panels as you want or need. For example, a 36-inch-wide window could be covered by one 45-inch panel or two 23-inch panels. A 60-inch-wide window could be covered by four 19-inch panels.
Check your curtain rod before you make the casing. The measurements given here will result in tabs long enough to hang nicely on most rods, but if you’ve chosen an unusual design you may need to adjust the measurements.
It is tempting to skimp, but a decent hem provides weight and makes the curtains hang better. Vintage bark cloth makes fabulous tab-top curtains.
It is tempting to skimp, but a decent hem provides weight and makes the curtains hang better. Vintage bark cloth makes fabulous tab-top curtains.
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