Covered in Mod Podge: DIY Custom Back Tab Curtains {or finally finishing the nursery}

This post was originally shared over at The Ribbon Retreat. I was provided with the materials for this project in exchange for my tutorial. Please see my disclosures page if you have any questions.

My life has been one giant change after another in the last six months. One of those big old changes was my husband and I buying our first house. These great curtains are currently hanging out in my daughter's closet. But they really completed her old room {along with her Ruffled Strip Quilt Tutorial and Magic Pillowcase Tutorial}!

I was on the lookout for curtains for Emma's room since I first put the nursery together. However, I never found the right look within my tiny budget. Making my own curtains opened a world of fabric options to me. These curtains only require sewing {mostly} straight lines. You honestly spend more time pressing than sewing. Anyone can make these! Plus the ribbon tabs give your curtains the custom curtain look without the expense of custom bought.

Want to make your own? You'll need:

Fabric for curtain panels {Lime Scrumptious Dot}

1/2 yd fabric for ties {Pink Bias Stripe}

Pattern for ties

2 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon

Sewing machine and basic sewing supplies

Hot glue/gun

Let's start by figuring out how much fabric you'll need. Measure from the top of your curtain rod to the ground. Add 2 1/2 inches {for the top seam}, 4 1/5 inches {for the bottom seam}, and 1 inch {for gathering} to the curtain height. So you'll need to add a total 8 inches for seam allowances. You'll need this much fabric, per panel.

Pre-wash your fabric. Cut to the appropriate length. Then, press well.

Only a toddler and assorted cats are likely to see the back of the curtains. That makes everything much quicker. You'll get to utilize the selvedges to your advantage.

We'll start with the long {in my case 3 yard} seams first. Press your selvedge wrong sides together {about an inch} all along the length of your fabric. Pin occasionally to keep everything in place.

Sew along your selvedge, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end. Repeat for each side of each panel.

Now on to the top seam. Press the top down 1/2 inch and then down another 2 inches.

Sew, making sure to backstitch.

For the bottom, I like a wide hem. Press the bottom up 1/2 inch and the up again another 4 inches. Sew.

To make the ribbon tabs, I cut 3 inch long strips and then heat sealed the ends. I spaced the ribbon tabs every 4ish inches along the top of the curtain, using seven per panel.

Use hot glue to secure the tabs, creating a pocket for your curtain rod to fit through. Make sure you secure your ribbon at the top of the panel {NOT as I pictured. Trust me, it will turn out wonky if you glue as pictured. Not that I would know from experience or anything!}.

Hang your first curtain panel to make sure your measurements worked out right. Once you're sure everything is prefect, sew up the rest of your panels.

Now for making the ties. Emma's room has tinny {40 inch} windows. Therefore, I used one panel per window and tied in the center. You could used this same bow pattern for tying back two panels to the side.

Download the pattern for the bow. Cut out four per bow.

Place two pattern pieces right sides together and pin. Sew, going slowly around the curve. Leave the bottom open.