DIY Designer Dupe: Add Trim Tape to Curtains
Jenni Jarvis • February 2, 2024
Designer Drapes
Custom drapes are a luxury item, but there's no reason you can't copy the look without breaking the bank. Pinch pleat curtains are typically my favorite, and there are a lot of great options out there. Amazon carries the Two Pages brand and I've found those to be great quality. I have them in my living room currently. These are the linen-look unlined pinch pleat curtains I chose.
If you're looking for curtains to use in a bedroom, I recommend using something lined for privacy or blackout. Blackout curtains basically turn your bedroom into a hotel room, where almost zero light is peeking through--we love ours. I also found them on Amazon and they come in a variety of colors. I hung ours directly using the rod pocket, instead of pins/hooks, because I could still get the lovely pleated look and didn't have to hem, at all, which leads me to the next topic--making curtains work when you don't sew!
I don't sew, so I'm always looking for a hack to use as a substitute for actual sewing skills. I have found that iron-on hem tape works for hemming curtains. You just iron it on and fold up the hem to the correct length. I have found it's not always easy to get it to stick well, though. I'd say mine are JUST good enough to get by.
Curtain Trim Tape
I have grown to love the look of curtains with trim, and scoured the internet to find something I loved that wasn't super expensive. This is what I ordered off Etsy. I also got samples of this and this. Our ceilings are 8', and the curtains are hung almost to the top, so I ordered four 96" lengths so I'd have a little extra. It arrived as one single roll, which ended up being just fine.
No Sew
I knew I didn't' want to try to use the testy hem tape for this project. I'd originally assumed I'd take them down off the rods, but after researching, I learned that others preferred to attach the trim while the curtains were hanging. Starting at the top of the curtain panel, I used a strong fabric glue to run a bead along the outer edges, and a single bead down the middle of the trim. I had approximately a 2" overhang at the top and simply folded it over to the back, and pressed the trim down on the curtain, carefully keeping the outer edge of the trim lined up with the outer edge of the curtain. I worked down the curtain in 12-18" sections, keeping everything lined up along the edge well. When I reached the bottom, I cut the tape with about 2" of excess, and wrapped it under the bottom, folding the trim under and gluing it on the back of the hem. It took almost the entire bottle of glue for all four panels.
And that's literally it! It's one of the easiest and most impactful DIY projects I've ever done! The hardest part is choosing your trim, and I have a couple tips on that:
1. If you have pinch-pleats, measure the distance from the edge of the curtain panel to the first pleat. I would get trim equal or smaller in width than that measurement, so it will lay nicely.
2. Consider the background color of the trim in relation to your curtain. My trim worked perfectly for these curtains, because it's neutral background was very similar to my beige curtains. White might have been to stark for this particular curtain.
3. Order more than you actually need. Measure what you need and add at least 4" per panel to that number. You want to be able to fold it over when you attach, and it's better to pay for a little more initially that have to order a whole extra set later.
I hope you'll try this project and please tag me @grey.snail.press if you share it, because I'd love to see!
The links I shared on Amazon are affiliate links and I do receive a small amount of compensation if you choose to purchase from those links.
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