Instructions For Sewing Curtain Panels Together

Wide windows and a love of lush, generous drapery mean you might be expanding a standard curtain or narrow panel of fabric. One way to do this is to sew two or more curtain panels together. The exercise is more painstaking than complicated, but take your time so the finished product lies flat and any patterns in the panels are matched. While an ambitious seamstress could whip up this project by hand, a sewing machine is recommended for professional-looking seams and time-saving efficiency.

1. Remove Stitches From Vertical Seams

Unstitch the vertical side seams on two curtain panels that you plan to sew together. Use a seam ripper with extreme care to avoid tearing the curtain fabric as you remove the stitches in the seam. Seam rippers are sharp so keep them away from curious children.

2. Remove Top and Bottom Stitching

Unpick the stitching in the top sleeve and on the bottom hem. Take out stitches about 6 inches in from the edge of both the top and bottom hems to free the sides of the curtain fabric so you can seam both panels together easily.

3. Iron the Seams

Iron the side seam marks flat along the entire length of both panels.

4. Pin the Panels Together

Place panels right-sides together and pin. Always track all dressmaker pins and place the closed container out of the reach of young children or pets. Check to see that patterned panels match before pinning; then check again once you've pinned. When joining curtains with grommet holes along the top hem, adjust the new center seam so the grommets are evenly spaced after the curtain panels are joined.

5. Stitch the Panels Together

Test the stitch length and tension on a scrap of the same or similar fabric as your curtains to avoid accidental bunching or gathering along the new seam. Stitch a 5/8-inch seam end to end, joining both panels. Serge or zigzag stitch the raw edges so they don't unravel. When pleating curtain panels that have been joined, remeasure the spacing for the hooks, rather than using the old spacing, to ensure all pleats are equidistant.

6. Stitch the Top and Bottom

Fold down and restitch the top sleeve and the bottom hem. Press all seams flat and slip the curtain sleeve over the curtain rod to hang.

1. Remove the Seams

Follow steps 1, 2, and 3. The lining will likely be trimmed to fit under the side seam of each curtain. Just keep it free of the main curtain fabric when you pin and sew the vertical seam.

2. Stitch the Vertical Seam

Sew the vertical seam, keeping the lining edges free. Then press the seam flat, folding the edges back over the edges of the lining.

3. Stitch the Top and Bottom

Sew the folded-over seam edges down, about 1/4 inch from the seam on each side, keeping the lining caught under the folded curtain fabric. Fold the top sleeve and bottom hem back in place and stitch down. If the panels you use are thin fabric with interlining between the curtain material and the lining, treat the interlining the same as the lining. Loosely hand-baste the interlining to the lining at the opened seam edge if you have trouble getting both pieces to lie flat inside the folded-over seam.

4. Press the Seams

Press the vertical seam that joins the panels and the restitched top and bottom hems flat before hanging your double-width, lined curtains.