custom curtains with a glue gun

Curtains can be really expensive, but they totally make a room……in my opinion.  Whether you go with a solid or a patterned fabric, your curtains are basically clothing for your windows.  And your windows want to look chic and stylish.  😉  But just as you don’t have to wear designer labels head to toe to look great, neither do your windows.  You can totally give your inexpensive store bought curtains a custom look, and the best part is you don’t need a sewing machine or no-sew hemming tape to make it happen.  All you need, once again, is a hot glue gun! 

A few years ago I dressed the windows in my kitchen nook with simple white cotton canvas panels from Target.  To give them a little more edge I hot glued black grosgrain ribbon along the inside edges.  Easy!

white cotton curtains with black grosgrain ribbon edge

They lived and looked great just like that for quite a while.  But then,  I found a gorgeous grey ikat print at Hobby Lobby and decided to make a new faux roman shade for the window over my kitchen sink……………..

no sew window shade

which led me to……….you guessed it, change up the curtains in the nook. 

customizing store bought curtains with a glue gun

I didn’t want anything too drastic, so I decided to add a small panel of the grey fabric along the bottom.  This way these curtain panels tie in with the shade over the sink, but I still have the airy look of white panels that I love. 

This was such an easy project.  I had all 6 of my panels done in about an hour!

Here’s the quick tutorial for anyone interested in creating a similar look. 

1.  Start by measuring and cutting the fabric making sure to leave about 1/2 an inch on all sides for your seams. 

2.  Then you’ll want to fold and iron the seam at the top and the seam that will face the grosgrain ribbon edge.

3.  Line up the ironed seam with the grosgrain ribbon edge making sure to leave about 1/4 inch of fabric at the bottom to wrap around later.  Then hot glue your seam down along the edge of the ribbon.  (*Tip- Use a high temperature hot glue gun and work in small sections.)
4.  Lay your curtain panel down on the floor and smooth out any wrinkles.  Line up your bottom panel which is now only attached to the curtain panel at the ribbon edge.  Once your bottom panel of fabric is lined up straight hot glue the top seam of your panel to the curtain.  
 
5. Fold the bottom edge over and hot glue. 
6.  Fold the outside edge over and hot glue. 
customizing store bought curtains with a glue gun
7.  Last but not least when your bottom fabric panel is completely attached and hot glued on all sides, iron or steam your curtain panel to get rid of any wrinkles before hanging.  
customizing store bought curtains with a glue gun
It’s a very subtle change but I really like that added splash of pattern.  Plus, that small panel of added fabric gave these curtains a nice weight which helps them to lay a little nicer as well. 
No Sew Curtains with a Hot Glue Gun
Have you ever used a hot glue gun to spruce up some store bought curtains?   I’ve decided I could live without a lot of things……..but I can’t live without my hot glue gun! 

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  • New reader; Bloglovin' recommended you.

    These are very nice! I love the fabric. Thanks for the hot glue gun tip. Looks much easier than wrestling with a sewing machine.

  • These look great! Do you use a lot of glue or just a little bit? When I have done these in the past, I can't seem to get the fabric to be smooth so I figured maybe I was using too much glue or too hot of a setting or something else? I'd like to try again on my bedroom curtains.

  • Both windows look fantastic! I'd like to try this, since I can't sew any longer with my ankle the way it is, but what do you do when they get a stain? I have two rambunctious Yorkies. Do you just spot clean?
    Brenda

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