Call this: How to finally finish a project and make something that's inexpensive look like something that's very expensive.
Curtains are a hidden expense. You want them, sometimes you need them, but they can be pricey - surprisingly so.
When I read that drop cloth has a texture similar to linen after washing, I decided that was the way to go for my upstairs guest rooms. (Perhaps my downstairs family room, too...but that's to be determined yet.)
Here's a quick look at what I was working with (sorry the photos are dark - these are untouched iPhone shots):
I picked up a standard drop cloth from Home Depot. Pricing varies on size, but they usually are less than $25 and come already seamed. I washed them twice in hot water with a cup of bleach, then dried on low. Then I measured my curtain rod length and multiplied each section by 2 to determine the appropriate width of the panels.
Cut the material to length and press hems (fold the material under and under again). The nice thing about drop cloth material is that you only have to sew 1 or 2 seams, since the majority of the material is seamed (except where you cut it to fit).
I added drapery tape about 2" below the top hem of the curtain. The drapery tape gave me a thicker surface for gripping - I could also have used the small plastic hoops. It also allowed for quick and easy gathering since two cords are built into the tape (top and bottom).
Sew everything and have a resident furbaby inspect to make sure you've done a good job.
Pick up a few packs of inexpensive curtain clips (these were $5 for 7 at Target).
Attach the clips to the curtains and the curtains to the rods. For the curtains in the main guest room, I attached the clips to the drapery tape. For the curtains in the second guest room, I hand-pleated the material and added clips to hold the pleats in place.
The final product?
Nice, huh? Both rooms curtained for about $40 total. Much cheaper than you'd pay for something similar at Anthropology!
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