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Super Simple DIY Cafe Curtains

Learn how to make these easy DIY kitchen cafe curtains with a few supplies, including your favorite fabric and curtain rings.

Easy DIY Cafe Curtains

Well, I sewed something. I know you’re probably double checking to make sure you’re on the right blog right now because I almost never sew. Like ever.

Hem tape? It’s my best friend, and my usual go-to. Sometimes though, I just have to suck it up and brave the sewing machine.

I was in the process of planning out our kitchen renovation when I stumbled upon this completely gorgeous fabric and just knew I had to incorporate it into the space. I thought it would make perfect cafe curtains!

So of course I ordered a couple of yards, but when it arrived at my house, I realized… if I wanted the fabric to turn into curtains, I was going to have to sew the fabric into curtains.

Go figure.

I really, really had my heart set on the pretty curtains though, so I decided to go for it despite my sewing machine anxiety. Thankfully (spoiler alert) it all went rather smoothly! Yippee!

Here’s how I managed to make these oh-so-simple DIY cafe curtains:

How to Make DIY Kitchen Cafe Curtains Step-by-Step

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

1. Gather the supplies for your cafe curtains.

2. Take measurements of your window and fabric.

I began by taking measurements to figure out how I needed to cut my fabric. I opted just to use the width of my fabric as it was (54″) and decided on 32″ in length based on the size of my window. Measurements will obviously vary by window size and personal preference on placement.

I looked at many, many pictures of cafe curtains and liked how they looked when the curtain rod sat above the window’s meeting rails. You may like them better right at the rails or below. There is no wrong answer here. Choose the curtain height that works best for your space!

close up of the cade curtain, rings, and rod placement

3. Cut the fabric.

This ended up being really easy for me. I already knew I was leaving the width alone, and 4″ sounded like a good seam allowance to me for the length, so since I had purchased two yards of fabric, I was able to just cut it in half to create two 54″ x 36″ panels.

a cut piece of floral fabric for the cafe curtains

4. Measure, press, and sew the fabric.

I opted to start with the side edges of my rectangular fabric panels. I measured in one inch from each side and tucked the fabric under, pinned it in place, and used my iron to press it down.

the edge of the fabric pinned before sewing

Then I used my sewing machine to stitch it into place. Even I can manage a straight line! 🙂

5. Measure, press, and sew again.

I repeated the process on the top and bottom edges. I left a 1 1/2″ seam at the top of my fabric panel and a 2 1/2″ seam at the bottom of the fabric panel. Using straight pins to hold it in place, I pressed the fabric with my iron to make a crisp line.

showing the stitched seams of the curtain

I then sewed a straight line from one side of the panel to the other to hold the fabric in place. Since my bottom seam was wider, I stitched a straight line in two different spots to make sure it stayed secure.

If you’re more of a visual learner (like me!), here’s what my final panels looked like from the back:

labeled diagram of the stitches on the curtain fabric

You can see the 1″ seam on each side, 1.5″ allowance at the top, and 2.5″ on the bottom, creating a neat rectangular curtain panel.

SO easy! And I didn’t even break the machine. Win!

6. Attach the rings and clips to the curtains and hang.

When I finished sewing both panels, they were ready to be hung up on the window!

I used a small cafe curtain rod + curtain rings and clips to hang my curtains. The smaller size ensured that I didn’t have a bulky rod sticking out from my window, getting in the way.

And because I used the curtain clips, I didn’t have to worry about needing to sew my curtain in such a way that I could thread the rod through the fabric. (Believe me, when I get near a sewing machine, the simpler it can be, the better!)

close up of DIY cafe curtains hanging in the kitchen window

This simple project allowed me to bring a beautiful pop of color into our space, while providing some privacy at the same time. It also gave me a bit more confidence to try more simple sewing projects in the future!

True, our kitchen doesn’t have countertops yet… or a sink… or a working dishwasher… but it has cute curtains, which is totally more important, right?! 😉

diy cafe curtains hanging on the kitchen window

Update: Our DIY kitchen renovation is finished! See the full kitchen renovation reveal to check out all of the details.

DIY Cafe Curtains: Frequently Asked Questions

Because we want the curtains to look full, it’s best to go with 1.5 to 2 times the width of the window. If that looks like too much fabric, we can always trim it. (But remember– you can’t add it back!)

Cafe curtains are perfect for bathrooms and kitchens because they allow privacy where it’s needed (on the bottom half of the window) but still let in natural sunlight through the top panes.

This is a personal preference! Make cafe curtains fit any window where you would like privacy but still let that bright sunshine come through.

Thanks so much for following along! Have a wonderful week!

Abby Lawson, Just a Girl and Her Blog signoff

This post contains an affiliate link. For more information, see my disclosures here.

21 Comments

  1. Very cute fabric! Congrats on your curtains!

  2. Rosa @ Cat Lady Confidential says:

    This project looks quite simple and I love the fabric. Thanks for sharing!

  3. These are SO super cute Abby! LOVE the fabric!!!

  4. Love this!! Great project and LOVE the visual instructions.

  5. Lindsey@tfdstyle says:

    Great fabric choice! Just the right amount of color-I love it!

  6. Very cute! And from another non-sewer, great job braving the machine – they look perfect!

  7. Christy @Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer says:

    Now that totally sounds like something I would do…skip the main needs and focus on the pretty details lol. They turned out super cute!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I mean, it’s the pretty stuff that’s important, so it only makes sense, right?! 😉 Thank you, friend!

      ~Abby =)

  8. Laura @ The Turquoise Home says:

    I have been eyeing this fabric for a long time just waiting for the perfect place to put it! I’m thinking it *may* make an appearance in my upcoming office makeover. We’ll see. 🙂 I also have a sewing aversion, so I completely understand. Good job, though. They turned out great!!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I love this fabric! It was nice to me, so hopefully it will be nice to you too. 🙂 Can’t wait to see your new office!

      ~Abby =)

  9. Leah Sannar says:

    I love how those turned out, and the fabric is still amazing. :o) I am currently working on a couple pillows, so I will join this link party next week! Can’t wait!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you, Leah! Can’t wait to see your pillows!

      ~Abby =)

  10. Tara @ Anything & Everything says:

    Love the fabric and how super easy these curtains are to make! Super cute!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you so much, Tara! Have a great week!

      ~Abby =)

  11. I love how super-simple these are to make and beautiful to look at, too. What a cheerful frame when you see the view from your window.

    Thanks for the easy tutorial!

    Lauree

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you so much, Lauree! You are the sweetest! Have a wonderful day!

      ~Abby =)

  12. Krista @ the happy housie says:

    Super cute Abby! I love love love that fabric!!

  13. What hardware did you See to hang the curtain?

    1. justagirlabby says:
  14. Your curtains are beautiful. Love the fabric. Is the fabric machine washable?

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Hi, Annette! We haven’t lived in this house for a few years now, but I believe that the fabric was machine washable from what I can remember. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

      ~Abby =)

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