Easy Kitchen Curtains

Avoid hanging quilted or matelassé-type fabrics vertically in a window because they tend to stretch and shrink over time. For a window through which light continuously filters choose lightweight and loosely woven fabrics, as the light can be beautiful filtering through these materials.

One good thing to ask yourself is if your curtain design will be practical and easy to use. If you need to open and close a curtain each morning, then the length of the curtain you create needs to just clear the floor. You may appreciate the aesthetics of a longer curtain that “puddles” on the floor but these tend to pick up dust and debris and need to be constantly cleaned; especially since these puddles of fabric can make nice beds for your pets!

Cotton, linen, and especially polyesters and micro fibers are all pretty safe for hanging in a sunlit window but all are subject to fading. Some fibers hold up better in the sun than others but NEVER put silk or silk blends by themselves in direct sunlight because the fibers will quickly rot and fade.

As long as you interline silk with flannel and line it with a good cotton lining, you can use it for sewing them. If you don’t line and interline silk and only hang silk sheers in your window, they will last about six months. Always line any curtains unless they’re sheers. They’ll last longer, and you won’t see the wrong side of a print from the outside and most last longer if they are also interlined with flannel, which adds insulation and protects from sun damage .

Use a good-quality cotton or cotton/poly blend for durability. And always test a sample piece of fabric to make sure you will get the desired result — some rules never change, no matter what you’re sewing!