$8 Ruffle Curtain Tutorial

***I recently updated this tutorial going into more detail and showing how to make it with a queen sheet set.  You can find it HERE.  Thanks!***

Here's the instructions on how I made my super cheap ruffle curtain for our guest bedroom. Now you should be advised that I am no sewing pro, so most definitely anyone with an afternoon and a sewing machine can whip this up.

1. I started with 2 Flat Twin sheets. I purchased mine at Wal-Mart for $4 a piece. Make sure they are the flat sheets and not the fitted. Wal-Mart also has some other great colors like cream and pink if you want to change it up. You could also do this with just regular fabric, but I seem to get overwhelmed with large amounts of fabric in front of me. So the sheets are a good jumping off point.


2. Unpackage and iron out each sheet. Then begin cutting following these handy little guidelines I made for you. The grey area are the pieces that you will not be using.

Panel #1

Cut off the 4 inches hem at the top of the sheet (grey area) and discard or save for another project. Then cut 7 strips at 11 inches tall and 1 strip at 10 inches tall (this last strip already has a hem to it so it doesn't need to be as tall).

Panel #2



Cut out the main body of the curtain at 96 x 35 in. and set aside. Then cut out the remaining 2 strips for the ruffles with the side of the fabric making sure the first strip is 11 x 66 and the other is 13 x 66 (this last one needs to be taller because it will be the top ruffle and secured to the back of the curtain).

3. Now you have 10 ruffle strips and 9 need to be hemmed. I just did a quick fold over hem because we're short on fabric. *Also be sure to hem the two sides from the 2 strips you cut from panel #2*

4. With your hems in place begin sewing a loose and wide stitch on the top of each strip to ruffle. Then gently tug on the back string and bunch together to ruffle the whole strip. Repeat with all 10. Take a mandatory chocolate break...you're welcome!

5. Take your main curtain panel and hem the right side. For mine I laid out a few of my ruffles on top of it to gage how much to take in. Mine finished is about 33 inches wide. Just depends on how much ruffle you want.

6. Starting at the bottom of the panel get your ruffle just the right length so it will lay across the panel allowing room for a half inch to be folded in on the left and right sides of the ruffle. Pin and sew straight across.



7. Repeat with layering the remaing ruffles. It's best to work on one ruffle at a time making sure each ruffle covers the stitches on your previous ruffle. Don't stress out about getting each straight or lined up perfectly. The ruffles are very forgiving and just add more character to it.


8. Once you sew 9 ruffles. Take the main curtain body panel and fold over the top 4 inch hem and stitch a curtain rod pocket in the back.

9. Now your last ruffle should be the 13 in. wide one you cut from panel #2. Instead of sewing across the ruffle you'll be flipping it over and sewing inside of it on the very top of the back of the curtain panel so that when it flips over you won't be seeing a seam. Sorry I hope this part makes sense. Your finished curtain should measure about 33 x 92 in. once done.



10. Then Ohhh and Awwww over you fantastic curtain!


Feel free to shoot me an e-mail if you have questions about a step aboyagirlandapug {at} gmail {dot} com.