I hate mini blinds! How can I make a cheap alternative window covering, that I can make my self?

Question

I can sew some, I have a small sewing machine. Preferably something that is easy to mount and uses little hard ware, (I live in an apartment, they hate it when your put nails and such in the wall)

Thanks dawnodayus "suspension rods" was what I was trying to think, sort of like a shower curtain rod....that way I dont have to hammer a hole at all.

Answer 1

Measure your window width and buy some suspension rods at a department store like Walmart. These have rubber ends and spring mechanism which can be placed inside your moldings and removed easily. Go to a fabric store and purchase any fabric you like that matches your decorating scheme. The fabric can be draped over and around the suspension rod in any method you like. You can leave one end longer than the other, or keep them equal. Use as much fabric to cover your window or as little as you want for a valance effect. The only thing you'd have to sew are the hem ends. Easy, removable, adaptable, and you can take the fabric and rods with you when you move! Look in decorating magazines for draping ideas......good luck.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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RE:
I hate mini blinds! How can I make a cheap alternative window covering, that I can make my self?
I can sew some, I have a small sewing machine. Preferably something that is easy to mount and uses little hard ware, (I live in an apartment, they hate it when your put nails and such in the wall)

Answer 4

Get some of those 3M pull tab hooks. Run a cheap curtain rod or wood dowel ovre the hooks then sew fabric to make some curtains or buy some cheap ones somewhere.

You could put regular curtains up if you wanted to. Just get a little drywall spackle before you move out and cover up the holes from the curtain mounts after you leave. Don't smooth the spackle flush with the wall. Sand it smooth to the wall after it has dried for a day or so then grab the smallest matching sample of paint you can at the store and paint over the touched up holes and they'll never know the difference.

Answer 5

Cheapest Mini Blinds

Answer 6

My wife has done this. She picked out some fabric that matched her drapes (I think these look good without drapes). She just hemmed the fabric to the proper size to fit into the window opening, sewing a hem with an open loop (to accept a rod) on both top and bottom. She allows extra for width to make natural pleats when placed in the opening. You can then use the adjustable spring rods to hold the "curtain" in the window. I made her some economical rods out of some cpvc 1/2" plastic pipe that worked quite well. Wooden dowels work well too. You can also use the stick on hooks that can be removed with no damage to the window box. For an apartment, these curtains work quite well without spending a lot, and to clean them you just throw them in the washer. Mini blinds get so nasty. Good luck - I hope this helps.

Answer 7

I have used sheets & cut them to fit the window & added a small ruffle at the top. I know walmart has a cheap fabric rack from 1.00 a yard on up. If you get lucky you can find some nice material there.

Answer 8

The Roman blinds are really attractive and you can make them according to your own styles and colors. You can get the pattern or just go and look at them at Home Depot or Lowe's and check them out. Very little hardware, easy to make and design yourself and won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Answer 9

have you checked your local Ikea store yet? they have really cool stuff and in very reasonable prices. doing it yourself can get a bit too much if you are not familiar with it.

Answer 10

Roman shades I think would be the easiest. You can get a pattern for them.