Is it cheaper to make your own Curtains?

Adding new curtains to a living room or bedroom can immediately upgrade the whole room, but curtains can get expensive and sometimes it is hard to match colors or styles perfectly. This makes me wonder if it would be easier and cheaper to just make my own curtains.

The good news is that making your own curtains is not only an easy DIY project, but it can also save you a ton a money! Let’s deep dive into some ways to make curtains and how to save money while doing it.

Is making your own curtains cheaper than buying?

Whether you’re looking to add a little privacy to a bedroom or just want to liven up a space, curtains can make a huge difference. This type of makeover doesn’t have to be expensive!

The #1 easiest way to make cheap curtains is to find affordable fabric. If you go to the designer or home decor fabric section of any fabric store, you will be blown away by the prices per yard on these gorgeous fabrics.

Home decor and luxury fabric can easily run $30+ dollars a yard and depending on how big and wide you need your curtains; this could mean big money. To get around these hefty price tags, go over to the clearance and discontinued section.

Over here, they will have beautiful fabrics in a variety of colors and patterns at a discounted rate. If you get emails from your fabric store, you may find additional deals too. I regularly get Joann emails and sometimes they have a 25% off your whole purchase including clearence.

Another new place I have found for fabric is the “Value Bin” at Walmart’s fabric section. Typically, Walmart carries mostly cotton fabrics, but some will offer many more. They recently added a Value Section, where they have pre-rolled packages of 3-6 yards of fabric for super cheap.

I have found many knits, canvas, and specialty fabrics like lace for just a few dollars a yard. The biggest thing to remember is to keep an eye out. When you decided to make your own curtains, give yourself time to find the right fabric.

You don’t need to buy your fabric on the same day that you decide to make curtains. Go to many stores and see what is available. Then narrow down what you like and what you don’t like.

If you are looking for basic curtains, then any cotton or cotton blend will work. If you are trying to block out light, then you will want a heavier fabric like canvas. If you want to let light in, you may want to go with sheer or linen fabrics.

How do I make cheap curtains?

Take a look at any curtains you currently have, and you will see that most basic curtains have 2 lines of sewing. They will have a pocket at the top and usually another pocket at the bottom.

These pockets fit the curtain rod and are super simple to sew! It is very similar to hemming a skirt or pants. You basically fold the fabric over and pin it straight. Then use a sewing machine or hand sewing to secure the hem.

The actual sewing skills needed to make curtains is minimal. As long as you can sew a straight line you will be perfectly fine! If you have advanced skills, you can get more into drapery and lining, but it is not necessary.

Curtains made at home don’t have to be super complicated! If you want to dress up casual curtains you can add a fancy curtain rod or make custom tiebacks.

Is it hard to make your own curtains?

Making curtains at home is a great beginner Do It Yourself project. The possibilities are endless when it comes to fabric and then you can match colors exactly how you want it.

Similar to clothing, curtains go through different styles. For a long time, sheer curtains were all the rage for that light and airy look. Unfortunately, if you didn’t like that style, then you had a lot less options if you bought curtains at a store.

When you make your own curtains, you can be your own designer. You can follow trends or go with what you love. There is no wrong way to picking fabric for curtains in my book! Homemade curtains will be way cheaper than custom curtains.

Another benefit of making your own curtains and doing it cheaply is that you if you decide to change them up in a few years, you are not out a lot of money.

Some window treatments and specialty curtains can be a huge investment, so you will want to make sure that you will love them for many years to come.

When you make your own, and you source inexpensive fabric, you can even change your curtains based on the season. Make some spring curtains, summer curtains, and even Christmas curtains.

How much should you spend on curtains?

The pricing of curtain panels can range anywhere from $7 a panel to $1500 a panel. How much you want to spend is totally up to you.

We are not sure if we will still be in the same house for the next 5 years, so I don’t want to spend a fortune on custom made curtains that may not work at the next house.

If you are currently living in your forever home and you just know that you will not be changing your color scheme or style for the next 10 years, then it totally makes sense to spend more money.

Before we buy curtains or make curtains, we need to know how long we expect these curtains to last. Will these be a temporary or seasonal solution or is this a long-term fix that will not be changed for a while.

Once we know how long we want the curtains to last, we can then make a budget. Then with our budget in mind, we can start keeping an eye out for the perfect fabric.

Make sure to look at tons of options and touch the fabric to really get the feel. Before you buy any fabric make sure to measure the window or windows and use a curtain calculator to get an idea of how much you need. (Pro Tip: always buy a little bit more than you need in case you make a mistake in measuring. You can also use the extra fabric for matching throw pillows or a small home decor project.)

Most cotton fabrics come in 44-inch widths, but you can also get certain quilting fabrics in 108 inches wide. Think outside the box and look at many different sections for curtain fabrics.

Keep in mind some fabrics are easy to wash at home like knits and cottons, but brocades and designer fabrics may need to be steamed or dry clean only. This can add to your costs so check the washing instructions.

Other Ways to Save on Curtains

There are also other ways to save on curtains that don’t involve making them from scratch! You can buy curtains from thrift stores, garage/moving sales, and flea markets. Just make sure to take measurements before you go looking, so you know if they will fit.

Then if the curtains are too long you can hem them to fit! A friend of mine swears by going to expensive neighborhoods to find moving sales to score some huge deals on curtains and drapes.

When I lived in Florida, some of the very fancy and expensive houses would have a complete decor renovation almost every year. These homes were vacation homes, so the items were like brand new. The owners just wanted them gone, so they would sell them for really cheap.

They typically are high quality and well taken care of, so minimal work would be needed to install them in your own home.

You can also check out local options like Facebook Marketplace. I see lots of people selling home decor that they purchased online but it didn’t end up matching their furniture.

Another great option is to set up Google Price Alerts. If you have your heart set on a certain kind of curtains, you can set up an alert to email you when there is a sale or a price drop. Go ahead and sign up for any online or email newsletters to get VIP or exclusive discounts too.

Overall making your own curtains is just an easy way to dress up any room and to do it on a budget! If you’re looking for other fun and simple DIY projects to do around the home, check out “How to Fix Faded Outdoor Cushions on your Porch.”