Custom Roman Shade

Well here it is! It took me about 10 hours to get this project completed today and it had NOTHING to do with the actual project!

First let me say (before I rant), I used the very simple, very well written, tutorial over at Cherry Street Cottage to make my Roman Shade.

Other than the minor adjustments to make this fit my window I used her tute to the T. Check it out here :) oh and if things had run more smoothly I would expect (minus shopping time) this is less than an hour project!

Now, why did this take me soooo long???? My stinkin' finicky serger that's why! UGH!



Viking s15



I began my day all calm and excited to make a new shade.

A few days ago I had created a plan (using the tute from cherry street cottage) and purchased my material. So that today I would be all set to cut, sew, hang, enjoy!

I measured my material, cut out the panel and was going to do a really fast up one side down the other then all around 4 thread serge to ensure all my edges would stay nice and neat.

I placed my serger on the dining room table (aka mom's sewing spot). Plugged it in. Adjusted my threads. Did a fast chain stitch. All looked well. I took a scrap piece of the shade fabric (which I should add was nothing more than (the cheapest I could find at JoAnn's) curtain lining *used a coupon too :) and did a practice stitch to ensure all was well.

NOPE! the lower looper was going NUTS!!!! ok, so I adjust to tighten--better, not good, but the upper looper is going nuts now. and on and on this goes. I cut my threads and rethread over and over and over. For 7 hours I fiddle with my machine. about half an hour before dinner I decide to take things apart. I raised my upper cutter and I dust bust, oil, and cut the threads off and push my machine aside.

After we eat dinner, I decide to come back one last try and see what can be done. I adjust all my dials back to N, rethread, and do a practice stitch. THAT was the trick! It sewed just fine! UGH!!! so happy and feeling victorious and frustrated all at once! rant over, thanks for reading [;)]

So why the new shade??

This window did have a homemade Roman Shade on it but the pattern I used (McCall's) was way to complicated and I ended up with an ok curtain. Ok because it was not a perfect fit into the window (length and width were a weeee bit too small and this let in annoying light). Also, when we pulled the shade up it did this really goofy bunchy thing that drove me NUTS!

I decided some time ago a change must be done! My google search led me to the Cherry Street Cottage blog. When I read over her instructions it all made perfect sense to me. Plus, I just loved the idea of all the rods to keep things nice and straight!!!

The directions are so easy to understand and the pictures are placed at the perfect time! It was so easy peasy! I totally recommend this one to anyone looking to try a roman shade of their own!

hope this post inspires you to make one too :) Happy Sewing!