New Shades

Thanks to my cousin I am highly addicted to blogs! Who would have thought? She introduced me to the "Little Green Notebook" blog  about four months ago. While she was browsing around she told me about this really cute and simple Roman Shades project. (I absolutely dislike my blinds--such a pain to clean and they don't let in much light.) Well, after four months of procrastinating and being afraid to jump in with two feet, I took my birthday money and went to Joanne's Fabric store and fell in love with the sage green burlap for 2.99/Yard. Now I had no excuses. I had to make-over my blinds.

You can always go to Jenny's Page for better instructions or just ask me!

Project Tools:

Iron

Enough Fabric to cover your window

 (Measure your window space. Add 3" to the length and 3" to the width)

Fabric Glue

Hemming Tape (optional)

Scissors

Beads (optional)

Step One: Take down those dreaded, dusty blinds.

Step Two: Lay blinds on table face up. Mark every 10th shade. You don't want to cut the horizontal line that supports this shade. It's going to help make your "draping" affect.

Step Three:  See these skinny strings vertical in this picture? These are the little strings that you need to cut. (When the blinds are hanging they will be horizontal. They are also the strings that allow you to open or close the shades. Cut each one except for the ones supporting the 10th shade.)

Step Four: Each shade has a string holding it into place. You need to untie that string and free the extra shades that are not going to be used. In this picture (below) I untied the string pulled it through all of the shades and then re-laced the 10th shade back in place.

Step Five: After step 4, you should have something that looks like the below picture...Now, lay your fabric under the blinds--The blinds should be facedown. (I don't have pictures of this part sorry.)

Go to the top of your fabric. Measure 1.5" inches and 1" from the top. Use hemming tape to help 1" from the top. 

Step Six: Attach the top part of your blinds to the hem using fabric glue. Remember you have an extra 1.5" on either side, you will need to fold those in before gluing the top of the blind to the 1" top hem.

Step Seven: (sorry no pictures again) But do look back at Step five and it's picture. After gluing the top of the blind to the top hem, continue measuring down your "straight line of fabric" 1.5" (this will be your side hem.) Line your shades along this line. Make sure that the blinds are pulled straight and taunt.

Step Eight: Fold over your hem and iron in place. (Don't use your fabric tape yet!)

Step Nine: Make sure all of the shades are pushed into the hem you just completed. Now measure 1.5" inches from the shade on the other side. Cut fabric (if you already haven't.) Fold and iron your other side hem.

Step Ten: Make sure everything is straight and taunt. Start from the top of the blind and work your way down. Place glue on the "front of the blind" then flip over and press to the fabric. Continue this process until you reach the bottom.

Step Eleven: Now it's time to use your fabric tape (or glue) and finalize your side hems.

Step Twelve: Measure a 1" bottom hem and glue/tape into place. Mine hang free and are not attached to the bottom of the blinds.

Enjoy your shade!

I took one more step...I didn't like the cheap plastic tassels so I created my own.