How to Sew Cafe Curtains

I’ve wanted light and airy curtains in our kitchen window for awhile now. I am so thankful for this large window that permits so much light to enter the kitchen area. It is such a blessing! While I plan to keep the curtains open for most of the day, I like the idea of having an option for privacy as well. These simple cafe curtains allow for just that!

I also enjoy the interest and texture that curtains provide to a space, but I did not want something heavy or too dark. I chose to use a light, white cotton fabric that still filters in a lot of light and keeps the room feeling soft.

These curtains make the room feel a bit more finished and homey. Which is exactly what I want when I’m baking up some from-scratch goodies like sourdough chocolate chip muffins, sourdough red lobster biscuits, pancakes, or a mug brownie.

I prefer to keep my sewing projects quick and simple like this canvas market bag or a banner for baby’s nursery. A new set of curtains is a lovely way to change up a space, add color, tone down walls, or bring in texture!

Stick around ff you’re interested in learning how to sew something new like Cafe Curtains. I promise that these curtains will transform your window into an interesting focal point while also granting a little privacy to your family! But don’t worry, they won’t block out that wonderful light that we all want in the kitchen. The light filters through them in a very homey way. The supply list and step-by-step instructions are just below, so continue reading for that information. A list of more easy sewing projects is at the very bottom of this post if you’d like to discover more project ideas!

What You’ll Need

Fabric
Sewing machine
Pins
Iron
Scissors
Coordinating thread
Measuring tape

1. Begin by washing, drying, and ironing the fabric

Fabrics can shrink after washing and wrinkles can create troubles in measuring correctly.

2. Measure your windows

Begin by measuring the length that you’d like the curtains to be. You may want the entire window covered or only a portion of it covered. I wanted curtains that covered the lower half of my window (19.5 inches). Add 5 inches for the top hem, and 2 inches for the bottom hem.
Next, measure how wide you’d like the curtains to be and add 2 inches for the side hems.

Keep in Mind: I recommend taking a minute to double check that your measurements are correct. There’s nothing worse that discovering that the whole project is off because of a faulty measurement!

3. Cut the pieces according to your window measurements

My measurements came out to be 27.5″ long and 25″ wide (after adding the seam allowance).

4. Pin the hems into place.

Fold the long (vertical) sides over about a half inch and press it flat.
Fold it over once more, press down, and pin into place. This will tuck the raw edge in and create a clean finish.
Repeat with the short (horizontal) sides.

5. Sew the hems.

Sew around all four sides of the curtain to create a hem.

6. Create the pocket for the curtain rod.

Fold the top of the curtain over 3 inches and pin into place.
Sew along the bottom of the fold to secure. Be sure to leave the sides open for the curtain rod to slide through.

If you make this project and love how it turned out, feel free to come back and comment about your experience. I’d love to see your creation and how you used it!

How to Sew Cafe Curtains