Curtain tie backs are a simple yet transformative addition to any room. They add a polished look, allow natural light to flood in, and frame your windows beautifully. While you can easily buy them, sewing your own is surprisingly fulfilling, cost-effective, and allows for total customization. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking for a quick weekend project, this comprehensive guide will teach you exactly how to sew curtain tie backs, step-by-step.
Why DIY Curtain Tie Backs Are Worth It
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s explore why making these yourself is a great idea. First, buying tie backs can be surprisingly pricey, especially for designer styles. Sewing your own lets you match your existing décor perfectly, whether your style is modern, rustic, or traditional. Second, it is an eco-friendly choice—you can repurpose scrap fabric or old clothing, giving them a second life. Finally, this is an excellent beginner sewing project. It’s small, manageable, and gives you instant gratification when you hang them up.
Gathering Your Materials: The Essential Checklist
Preparation is key to a smooth sewing experience. For this project, you don’t need an elaborate setup. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fabric: Medium-weight fabric like cotton, linen, or canvas works best. You’ll need roughly ½ yard for a standard window.
- Fusible interfacing: This adds body and stiffness, helping your tie back hold its shape.
- Thread: Match it to your fabric color.
- Scissors or rotary cutter: For precise cutting.
- Iron and ironing board: Essential for pressing seams and bonding interfacing.
- Sewing machine: While you can hand-sew this, a machine makes it faster and stronger.
- Measuring tape and ruler: For accurate dimensions.
- Hardware: This could be a hook on the wall, a button, or a D-ring, depending on your preference.
Once you have these items, you’re ready to start. If you prefer a no-sew hack with glue, you might want to check out how to sew curtain tie backs for a budget-friendly variation, but for this guide, we will stick to stitching.
Step 1: Measuring and Cutting Your Fabric
The first critical step in learning how to sew curtain tie backs is accurate measurement. You need to determine the width of your curtains when they are closed. As a rule of thumb, the tie back length should be about 80% of the curtain’s width to create that classic swoop. For example, if your curtain is 60 inches wide, your tie back strip should be about 48 inches long. However, a fixed length of ~30-48 inches works for most standard windows.
Cutting the Fabric Strip
Cut a rectangle that is your desired length plus 1 inch for seams, and a width of about 6-8 inches (this will produce a final folded width of 3-4 inches). So, for a 40-inch final length, cut a strip that is 41 inches long and 7 inches wide. Use a sharp rotary cutter for clean, straight lines.</