I have been on the hunt for the perfect kitchen curtains for our little nook for quite some time. I wanted something sheer, light and airy, yet pastoral and minimal to fit in with our aesthetic. I didn’t want to go the route of gingham or flowered lace or plain old white, something warmer and more neutral given that I like to change up the table cloth just about every other week.
After many months of searching the internet I came up with nothin’, so I decided to rig something up from an idea I saw a few weeks back in an IKEA catalogue (of all places!) and make curtains of my own. And wouldn’t you know it, I don’t know how to sew! Learning how to sew is on my list of “things to learn” but until then, this method worked really well and took me about thirty minutes from start to finish. You can’t beat that. The fabric I chose lets in the perfect amount of light and adds so much charm to this already cozy space. Project by project, I am basically turning our home in to a cottage…a minimal cottage to suit Andrew’s tastes as well because he’s the one that stresses simple interiors over here. Me with my vintage knick-knacks all over the place not so much!
To make these cottage curtains you’ll need the following materials:
- Fabric: I used an oatmeal cotton/linen blend found at the craft store. And you’ll never believe it but these two pieces are scraps from a table cloth I made a few weeks back! I didn’t have to adjust them one bit, only a cut down the center to make two curtains, so obviously this fabric was meant to hang here. I love it when things like this happen and catch me off guard.
- Sharp scissors: I got mine here. You get three pairs for a great price.
- Jute or heavy string: Again, you can find these at the craft store.
- Hooks: IKEA
- Nails or something to attach the jute to the window: probably in your junk drawer if you’re like me, but the hardware store will have them too.
To make, measure out the piece of fabric you’ll want to cover your window. I opted to cover half of our kitchen window to let more light in, but you could go the whole length or even just do the top half. You’ll want to make sure the length is good from the string to the bottom part of the window to make sure you are getting good coverage. Next, put one nail in the top of the window frame on each side in the corner. If you’re not wanting to nail into the wood, I am sure you could find something like an adhesive hook in place of something more sturdy like a nail. Then tie your jute from one end of the nail to the other, making sure it is very taught. I did a few knots to keep everything just so. If you have selected heavy fabric you may experience some sagging, thus I would purchase something light and airy if you happen to come across that. To finish up the project, take your clips and attach them to the fabric. I used five clips per sheet, so ten in all. I also put a very thin nail in the top of the window frame in the middle to hook the center part of the jute string to help with the sagging. And that’s it, a simple way to add cottage charm on a dime. Aren’t they the sweetest?!
demi-brooke - we did the same above our sink – perfect for when you can’t find a single stinkin curtain you actually like 😉 plus much more cost affective! hope all is well, amanda. love that you’ve been focusing so much on family time and the blog. it’s been such a joy to read. xx
admin - Demi! Hello dearest! Yes to the point of being cheap right? I think these ran me back like $5 maybe? Hope you and your crew are well. This time away from IG has been really, really wonderful. Blessings mama! xx Amanda
Kelly Jo - Really like the clean and warm look of those. I’ve been slowly replacing the curtains in my home and I discovered that painting drop cloths make awesome curtains. Very similar to the color and texture of what you used here. And I really like the idea of using Jute as well.
admin - Kelly Jo – I love the idea of drop cloths, how clever! I bet they would work well if you were wanting more light coverage…something to consider for Theodore’s room. Thanks for the idea and for stopping by, dear! xx Amanda
Mary Alice Patterson - Perfect…Love how their simplicity adds so much charm to this corner.
Mary Alice
admin - Mary Alice – This corner of our home is my favorite, give me all the charm 🙂 x Amanda
Sara - Love them. They remind me of something you’d see in Kate Winslet’s English cottage in “The Holliday” …. Also known as my dream home 😉
xo, Sara
admin - Sara – THAT HOUSE…yes yes yes. It is one of my favorites too, the most charming little place! x Amanda
veronika goisova - This is such a good idea Amanda! The sun in the evening at this time of the year is going heavy to my kitchen window and I was about to bring blinds which belongs there but I don’t like them,I really want to make something similar now:)
Enjoy your off IG time :-* Veronika
admin - Veronika – You should go for it! The light is pretty harsh in here in the late afternoons too and this has helped so much. Hope you are well, dear…thanks so much for saying hello and stopping by! x Amanda
Sarah - I love the curtains – they are so light and airy! I made some small ones in the same fashion for my daughters play kitchen a couple years ago. I don’t sew either, but discovered Stitch Witchery to make the edges have a more clean finished look if you were interested in that for future projects 🙂
http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-222-20-Yard-Witchery-Regular/dp/B0001DSIHI
admin - Sarah – I have never heard of this! Thank you so much for sharing, what a handy idea for us non-sewing folk 😉 x Amanda
Sarah - Of course! 😀 Definitely handy for those of us who don’t sew – just have to know how to iron and goodness knows I’m all too practiced at that!
Erin - These are very sweet curtains- perfect for that nook! I hope you do get around to learning to sew… I taught myself (er… youtube taught me) 6 years ago, and it has been a tremendous passion of mine ever since. I have a sewing blog, and started out with very simple things like curtains and bedskirts, but now I sew for myself, my kids, and I opened an etsy shop. I always get excited when someone mentions they want to learn, because it is such a handy skill! XO
admin - Erin – I have tried to learn via YouTube and just can’t get the knack of it so I am taking a class this summer where I can be more hands on, props to you for teaching yourself, that’s amazing! I’d love to be able to make pillow cases and some basic clothing, nothing too fancy. Thanks for stopping by, I’ll have to pop over to your sewing space! x Amanda
julia - they are perfect amanda! so you, and so cozy feeling!
simplerevival - Hi mama. Miss ya. The curtains are way cute! I don’t know how to sew either so a hot glue gun has been my BFF forever now. Almost all our throw pillows are held together by that stuff. 😂
Simplerevival - Oh yeah, hem tape that you iron is awesome too and so easy. Hope you all have a great holiday weekend. Xoxo
Ashley - I love them! They are very sweet and the perfect fabric. Glad you were able to DIY the curtains you needed – I love when things happen like that. Unfortunately I’m not much of a crafter and I can’t sew either… I feel like a bad homemaker! Haha
Chelsea - Love how simple these are. Headed to nursing school in the fall now that all three of mine are in school…meanwhile, this summer while I’m on break, I’m trying to make our home into one we can retreat to when school starts and life gets harried, and really all the time. Your insta account and now your blog is such an inspiration for me as it is for so many others and so appreciate your sharing. And thank you for posting sources too!
admin - Chelsea, thank you for these sweet words. Enjoy this long summer break and have fun nesting away! xx Amanda
10 Steps To a Cozy & Simple Kitchen » Homesong - […] no-sew cottage curtains. You can read about how to do this little craft right here. These linen curtains took about ten minutes to make and I adore them. They add cozy in a […]