Roman blinds are one of the most popular styles of blinds today. Due to their design and refreshing look, they are often known as one of the most stylish ways to decorate a window. What is even nicer is they can be made from many a material and weight of fabric. Now it will be revealed how to estimate the fabric quantity needed to make your dream blinds.

Fabric, Lining - Strips of wooden or plastic dowelling, 1.25″ (3 cms) less than the blind’s width.
Small plastic rings, approximately 0.5″ (12mm) in diameter.
Wooden or brass acorn.

Nylon cord, 3 x (twice the length of the blind + the width of blind).
Wall cleat.

Stick and sew Velcro enough for the width of the blind.
Wooden Batten approx 1” (2.5cms) x 1” (2.5 cms) x the width of the finished blind.
4 screw eyelets.

Estimating the Fabric Quantity

1. Place and secure the blind track or wooden batten in position. Fix the blind to the top of the window frame.

2. Attach the adhesive side of the Velcro to the edge (front) of the batten

3. Measure from the top of the track or batten to a chosen length. Add some allowance for the hem to be made or for pattern matching

4. The length of the lining will be the same as the fabric requirements

5. To find the width of fabric needed, measure the track or batten and again allow for the necessary seam allowance. Divide this number by the width of the fabric and round up to the next whole number.

6. The amount of widths of lining required will be equal to the number of widths needed for fabric

How to make a Plain Roman Blind:

Once you measured the amount of fabric you will need for the actual creation of your Roman blinds, you can begin the easy and quite fun process of actually making them.

1. To begin with you need to cut the fabrics to the size required while adding an additional 2” (5 cms) to the width for side seam allowances and 2″ (5 cms) to the length for hem allowances. If a patterned fabric is used, make sure it is cut so the pattern matches up on both sides.

2. Cut the lining out to precisely math the exact measurements as the upper fabric while leaving out any extra allowance that may of existed for pattern matching.

3. Take the fabric and lay it down right side up on a flat surface.

4. Next, lay the lining down flat and on top. Be sure to have them wrong side up and matching up the raw edges. Then smooth out all of the wrinkles and creases and pin the two together.

5. Stitch and pin down both sides along the bottom edges around 1″ (2.5cms) from the raw edges.

6. Trim the bottom two corners and proceed to make a second row of stitches across the bottom, 0.25” (6 mm) in from the raw edge. Between the channel, between the 2 rows of stitches, insert a dowel.

7. Take out all of the pins. Next, turn the blinds right side out.

8. Press the blinds and press out and flatten the seams.

9. Place the blind on a flat surface and again, pin the two layers together.

10. 2″ (5 cms) down from the top raw edge, use a pencil and draw a line across the width of the line.

11. Divide the rest of the length of the blind into equal sections (between 8″ and 12″ (20 and 30cms)) with a half section at the bottom edge and mark.

12. Using a pencil, draw lines across the blind at those marks. The lines should be parallel to the edge at the top and be right angles to the sides. This ill make sewing lines for the pockets.

13. To develop he pockets that will be needed to hold up the dowel, cut some strips of lining fabric 3″ (7.5 cms) wide and as long as the blind is wide. Cut 1 strip for each whole pleat.

14. Fold every strip in half (width ways) right sides together and matching the raw edges.

15. Now, machine stitch across one end and down the length 0.5″ (12mm) in from the one raw edge.

16. Turn it right side out and press it.

17. Pin the folded side of the pockets onto the pencil lines you drew.

18. Sew the pockets onto the blind at these marked lines.

19. Slide a wooden dowelling into each pocket and sew the open ends.

20. Hand sew the plastic rings to the outer edges of the pockets.

21. Turn down 1″ (2.5 cms) to the wrong side, at the top edge and press.

22. Stitch and pin the sew side of the Velcro across the top and on the wrong side. Close it to the fold. Stitch both sides the same direction.

23. Hang the blind by pressing the two Velcro pieces together.

24. Screw an eyelet into the underside of the batten directly above each line of rings on the blind and 1 at the end of the batten to the side that the blind will be operated from.

25. Cut the nylon cord into three and knot one length to a bottom ring. Through each line of rings, thread the chords. Through the eyes on the batten taking all three cords to one side of the window.

26. Trim the end of the cord’s level. Then thread them into the acorn and knot them.

27. Position a cleat at a convenient height.

28. Pull up the blind, winding the cords round the cleat.