Roman Shades are both practical and elegant. They are perfect for spaces where you want to maximize sunlight and also offer complete privacy at night.

Materials

Face Fabric

1/2 inch wood dowel

Roman shade ring tape

1x2 wood strip, 1/4-1/2 inch shorter than the width of your window (for the mounting board)

Adhesive-back nylon hook-and-loop tape

Screw eyes large enough for multiple cording lengths

Two L-brackets with screws

Nylon cording

Awning Cleat

Basic Shade Sewing Instructions

Measure the inside window width and length. This is the finished size of the shade. Add 2 inches to the length; cut a rectangle of the fabric with these measurements.

To finish the sides, fold under 1/2 inch on each side and press, fold 1/2 inch again, press and seam both sides.

To finish the top, press under 1/2 inch, then 2 inches; stitch in place.

To make a rod pocket, press under 4 inches at the bottom of the shade. Stitch across the width of the shade 1 1/2 inches from the fold to create a rod pocket. Fold up the bottom another 4 inches. Stitch across width near the top fold. When you've finished sewing the rest of the shade and ready to install it, insert the metal rod or wood dowel in the pocket, slip stitch closed.

To attach the ring tape, place the bottom ring of the tape just above the rod pocket. End with the top ring 4 inches form the top of the shade. Make sure the rings are perfectly aligned and stitch around the tape.

Mounting The Shade
Press one side of the hook and loop fastening tape across the front edge of the mounting board, and the other side of the tape across the top edge on the wrong side of the shade. To mount the shade to the mounting board, press the hook-and-loop fastening tape together.

Next, mark points on the underside of the mounting board for the placement of screw eyes. The screw eyes must correspond with the vertical row of rings on the shade. Screw the screw eyes to each point.

To thread rings, cut the nylon cording into lengths that measure the length of a vertical row of rings, plus the width of the shade, plus at least half the length of a vertical row of rings. Cut on length for each vertical row of rings.

Knot the end of a cord length to the bottom ring of each vertical row. Thread the first (left side) cord length through its vertical row of rings and the corresponding screw eye.

Thread the next cord length through its vertical row of rings, its corresponding screw eye, and the screw eye to its left.

Thread the remaining cording lengths in the same manner in order as directed above, threading each length through all of the screw eyes to the left. When all threading is complete, all cording lengths should be threaded through the far-left screw eye. Tie the excess length together in a loose knot.

To mount the Roman shade, secure the mounting board inside the window to the top of the window frame. Secure it with two L-brackets.

Mount the awning cleat to the right of the window. Pull on the cording lengths to make sure the shade pulls up evenly; then release the shade. Braid the cording lengths together, and knot them t the end. wrap the braided length around the awning cleat to hold the shade at desired level.