Looking for an easy, simple hack for no sew curtains? Here are step-by-step directions to create high end no sew curtains in minutes.
Have you ever noticed that it’s the simple things that sometimes bring the most joy?
It’s that moment when the ordinary turns into something extraordinary.
Just like this makeover.
See these curtains in the yellow and blue and white bedroom makeover?
I made them with one of my favorite no sew curtain hacks ever.
I’ve seen curtains like this that are super high end and cost between $75-$100 a panel.
But these curtains?
I took these simple everyday, inexpensive curtains and transformed them into SO MUCH MORE.
Want to know how I did it?
Oh, good.
Grab some coffee and come sit by me.
When Whitney and I designed this room she told me she wanted curtains. She loved the idea of closing off the windows and opening them in the morning. I knew we needed something that was light and bright and airy—especially for the upcoming Texas summer.
I wanted curtains that let light in.
We looked at different patterns and ended up deciding to go with white curtains the same color as the walls to soften the window and create a more finished look to the space.
You’d think that finding light, white, bright curtains that let light in would be easy.
You’d be wrong.
Most of the curtains that I found were either too short (84″) or felt cheap or were too sheer or were too expensive.
And then I found these.
The LENDA curtains from IKEA.
You can see them here.
They are made out of 100% cotton with a heavyweight and feel and look just like linen. The weave is slightly larger and there’s a tiny woven stripe that runs vertically on the curtain panel every six inches or so. The curtains are 98″ long and look super high end.
And the best part?
They are only $24.99 for the PAIR.
But here’s their challenge.
They are tab top curtains.
Sigh.
I’m not a fan of tab top curtains. They just never hang right for me and they kind of glump together and when I try to open and close them they don’t really glide along the curtain rod and half the time the curtain rod falls down.
So what’s a girl who loves everything else about these curtains to do?
Here’s my easy no sew curtain hack.
Hack for no sew curtains: Cut off the tabs
Simply cut off the tabs.
Yep.
That’s right.
I just took a pair of scissors and cut off the tabs. You could use a stitch ripper and take out the hem and remove the tabs and then sew them back together.
Or?
You could just go all no sew and cut them off.
Clip the rings
It’s not a perfect solution. There are still little bits of fraying string sometimes and occasionally I cut the top of the curtain by accident, but those are minor imperfections.
Truly.
When you trim off the pieces of string and clip on these gold rings and hang up the curtain you won’t even notice the imperfections.
The curtains just look perfect.
Here’s my best clip trick.
Use extra.
Do NOT skimp on the brass clips. I use two packages for each curtain and clip them almost every three inches. It makes them hang so much better and there aren’t any gaps or hanging curtain parts that glump down. After you clip the curtains on and hang them up, arrange the clips so the curtains hang neatly in place.
Hang the curtains
When I hang the curtains up, I pull them up over the molding and close to the ceiling to make the room appear taller.
It’s just like when you are short and you wear beige wedges to elongate your legs. These curtains are just like that.
When you cut off the tabs, you take off about 4″ from the curtain length which makes them about 94″. It’s the perfect height for a room with eight-foot ceilings. I got the curtain rods and the clips at Home Depot. I’ve shopped everywhere and it was the most inexpensive place to buy brass clips.
And when you pull the curtains, they just glide across the curtain rod on those clips.
What are some other hacks for no sew curtains?
I love no sew curtain hacks. There are so many amazing ideas to make no sew curtains for your home. Here are some of my favorites:
- these no sew drop cloth curtains
- clip on dishtowels or pillow cases to a rod make a simple valance
- use fabric glue to add pom poms to an existing curtain
- use shower curtains or tablecloths and clip onto a rod
- create a valance by draping a piece of material over the rod
- stencil drop cloths to make curtains
How wide should curtains be?
The more curtain width that you have the more luxurious and expensive the curtains will look. Typically you’ll want to have curtains that have a combined width of 2 to 2/12 times the width of the window. The wider your curtains are, the more clips you’ll need to help them hang properly. I used two packages of clips on each curtain. The general rule for clips is to hang them every 3″ to 4″.
Should you wash curtains before hanging?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions that I get. Myself? I don’t typically wash the curtains. I’m usually in too much of a rush to see what they look like. I hang them up and use a steamer or wrinkle-free spray to remove the wrinkles. If you do wash them, just be careful. Most curtains tend to shrink when washed. For example, these IKEA curtains state they have a shrinkage percentage of 4% when washed. So make sure to wash them before you hang the curtains up.
What are some hacks for hanging curtains?
Curtains are one of the easiest ways to hide a challenge in your room and one of the easiest ways to correct a random window placement in a space without spending a lot of money to fix a problem. For example, if a window is off-center, you can hang the curtains evenly over the space to disguise the off-center window.
Here are some of my other curtain hanging hacks:
- Hang curtains almost to the ceiling to create the impression of height in a space.
- Hang roman shades higher than the molding on the window to create the illusion of larger windows
- Hang curtains over a large opening to create a feeling of coziness in the space
- Hang full-length curtains over a shorter window and move a piece of furniture underneath to create more of a visual statement.
How can I make cheap curtains look more expensive?
There’s no need to pay a lot of money for curtains when you can make cheaper curtains look more expensive with a few simple tips.
- Weight them down–curtains that hang properly look more expensive. Use small weights in the hem to help them to hang properly.
- Line them up—when using clips with curtains, line them up on the rod with even spacing. This helps create a tailored look to the curtains.
- Hang them slightly higher and wider than the window frame
- Chose rods and hardware that makes a statement.
Simple.
Easy.
Inexpensive.
No sew curtains.
See what I mean?
It’s always the simplest things that make me the happiest.
And now? This post?
It’s curtains.
hee. hee.
total aside: I’m so sorry. I just couldn’t resist. You know you were thinking it too. 🙂
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Simple and easy with such great results!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus it is so easy to open and close with the rings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love the way you think. ❤️
And THIS is why I read your blog - daily!!!!!! your hacks are amazing! Thanks for sharing! :)
Love the look!!! Love IKEA curtains! I have some sheers from IKEA that I've had for years and they are perfect.
AWESOME idea! I don't like tab top curtains either so this idea is perfect!
I’m confused...you said curtains from IKEA and Home Depot at the end of the article?
Patty, I'm so sorry! I just fixed it! The curtains were from IKEA and the rods and rings were from Home Depot! Happy day friend! karianne
Terrific!!!!! NOW... If only I had the windows to use such curtains.. 😪.
Great idea- because I already invented this idea myself, lol. I have lovely white lace tiers that start in the middle of my windows, horizontally. Let in plenty of light and very pretty. But for privacy at night I have a rod at the top of my windows with plain white woven panels on clips, that I can close in the evening. My walls are the same white, so it all looks clean and fresh.
Love this!! I need to replace the curtains in my parlor - where I've had tablecloths hanging from clips for 10 years and they look marvelous but they're RED and I need a light neutral now!! BTW, tablecloths do make nice curtains. I found some cheap ones that had a subtle border all the way around, and they have been great! I'm now contemplating whether to go all "Thistlewood" and get some dropcloths for curtains, or simply start shopping for cheap ones like the ones you used!
I needed a valance over my kitchen sink because the plain-ness (is that even a word) was driving me crazy. I bought two very pretty dish towels and used clips and voila! a valance! So easy!
Genius. Love, love, love it. Just wish there was an Ikea in my state...ugh(!)
Awesome - looks so good! We have an Ikea 20 minutes from me. I need to replace some cute but too short Battenburg lace curtains in one of the guest rooms - this may be just the answer. Thanks for the inspiration!
Lol!! Love the ending 🤣 The clip rings are the best invention for curtains and I love the return rods so that the curtain can slide around the side for full coverage of the window. And....thank you IKEA 👍
Love these and I too really like Ikea drapes, they are so perfect and the price is always right.
We just moved to Montana and needed some window treatments for our living area.. Like you we also wanted all the light we could get. I bought a large drop cloth from Lowes and got 8 panels out of it. Total cost $25.. Once the panels were cut I fringed out all four sides to create a fringe about 1/2" wide. Then I pressed over enough for the rod pocket to the front of the panel and sewed one quick seam. The rough drop cloths with the fringed edges look great up here in the mountains and the price was great. Love you blog and follow you daily. Many Blessings to you and your family..
Also I have found that rubbing wax paper on curtain rods makes clips, rod pockets, etc. glide easier.
Love this look. I have the curtains already. Now I am off to Hone Depot to get the clips and new rods. What brand did you purchase? i LOVE THEM! Thanks.
I'm not sure! They were the only brass ones at Home Depot! Happy day friend! karianne
I love it when people break the rules and make life so much simpler. I think we often just need permission to take the scissors to something rather than making a huge project out of it! They look so nice!
No sew? Yes, please!! Love this!!! xoxo
I love IKEA hacks. They have a rod that you can thread hooks on that comes in brushed nickel or black. It also makes a great curtain rod for a small window. I was looking for a curtain rod that was inexpensive ( read cheap!). All the curtain rods were very expensive. These were very cheap, except for shipping, even so they were still cheaper even with shipping. When they arrived I realized why shipping was so expensive....they were in a box that was four feet long and about 12 inches around. This rod would have fit in a 2 foot long and 3 inch around box! Unfortunately, the nearest IKEA is 3 hours away!
I made curtains for my daughters' room out of beautiful shower curtains from Target by adding silver clips to them, no sew, on sale and they are a bohemian pattern that goes with her mostly yellow room.
Oh my gosh! I’m going to buy more clip rings right now! I am always fiddling with our curtains so they hang properly on both sides and it drives me crazy. Who knew the answer was using more clip rings?
I have the same curtains and love them! I bought them 12 years ago from Ikea and glad they still carry them. Over the years as I have re-decorated rooms they have moved around-they were in my living room, then my bedroom and now currently my kids room. They look good with everything! And you are right, the fabric looks very high end in person; I love it's texture.
The curtains are amazing but the RUG!!!! Where can I find that rug?!?!? I love all the colors in it!
Kim, I got it at Wayfair! You can see all the details on my shop my house page: https://thistlewoodfarms.com/shop-my-house/ Happy day friend! karianne
As usual, you came up with a great looking, cost-effective solution. I like reading everyone else's window solutions as well. I have a somewhat off-the-wall valance in my bathroom--I used 2 placemats with clip rings--odd, yes, but it works. BTW--is your word-of-the-month "glump", KariAnne??
What do you use to weight the bottom hem?
You can get weights for curtains in the drapery area of stores such as Joann’s or Hobby Lobby. You can probably find them anywhere curtains and window treatments are sold but I like HL or Joann’s for coupons.
Lynn, You can buy weights at any of the craft stores---especially Joanne's! Hope this helps friend! karianne
Really love this idea and have used it with my Mother-in-laws embroidered Day of the Week towels in my kitchen. So fun and reminds me of her. Now I am very thrifty and have used your idea except I am always blessed to find the most amazing curtains at garage sales. I just make them work! Love your blog and your amazing ideas!!
LOVE this!! I've done the same thing..... but after I cut off the tabs, used the rod pocket and shirred them on. Not a fan of tabs.... and the verdict is still out on the clips. BUT, I think Ikea is a great place to buy curtains. So.... tell me what you do? I have a 24" window, a space, a 73" window, a space, and another 24" window. Should I put curtains just on each end, or a lenght of fabric between the 24" and 73" windows???? So confused.. But AM definately going to see if my Ikea store carries these. Love them!!!
Mary, I would just put curtains on each end and maybe roman shades at all the windows? Do you think that might work? Just an idea! Happy day friend! karianne
I am using a table runner as my kitchen valance right now!
Hi ! It’s me again, flood victim from Houston living in our brand new house. I am no longer investing in any expensive home furnishings, as I’m too old! And throwing out all that stuff after the flood was too painful. I have the LENDA curtains in my master bedroom. I just wanted fixed curtains as I have plantation shutters on every window, so the tabs did not bother me. But these curtains add “weight” to that side of the white room with two windows. BUT, now that I have seen your hack, I can buy the same curtains and use them in other ways. Your hack is genius, but what else could we expect from you? Thanks again! Holly Rigby
My boys needed curtains for privacy in their rental. IKEA had exactly what they wanted with one exception. The curtains were too long. But never fear, Mom and iron on hem tape are here! And IKEA carries the hem tape too!
IKEA has tons of drapery choices and you can’t beat the price. Also love you can get the 98” up to 120” I think . I’ve used IKEA for window treatments in 5 houses over the years (3 were son and d-I-l homes). Best deal ever.
Love my IKEA curtains~ my style came with no tabs and also have the beautiful linen look....now if I could only remember the name of them!!! Great quality, super prices! Whitney's room is just beautiful~ matches her perfectly!
Super easy and cute. I love it! I keep trying to think of what to do with those 4" tabs instead of throw them out. Hmmm, wondering, with a little embellishment, if they could make into napkin rings of sorts? You certainly would have enough to have a large dinner party!
I love this whole thing, every idea that you provide here is shear genius! I am so thankful for you, you make our lives so much easier with all your great and absolutely fabulous ideas and suggestions!