Dropsheet Drapes That Look like Linen…

Linen curtains have always been a favourite of mine, but the expense when you have a million other renovation projects on the go can be a bit much, so…I made my own, and I LOVE THEM!

But, guess what? They’re not linen…they’re drop sheets!

Ive used drop sheets before in place of linen when our boys were very small to slip cover our sofa, and everyone thought it was linen. I knew I wanted to use them again on our super large windows in the living room after I got several quotes for curtains (our windows are way bigger than standard size) that nearly bowled me over…they were so expensive.

This is what we got when we bought the house that was on the windows. Very well made by the previous owners who did drapes and upholstery for a living…but they were not my style at all.

So, I looked very carefully at how they were put together, and watched some YouTube videos on how to pinch pleat. I didn’t want to do the little clip on hooks. I wanted them to look full and I really don’t like how the hooks make the fabric sit…my OCD kicks in – haha!

My first point of call was Bunnings

I picked up a few of these Wagner drop sheets (you just have to make sure you get the unlined ones) that come in various sizes. I got the biggest I could find, which were 2.7m x 3.6m.

If you want to try these, here is the really important part….you MUST wash them in a warm or hot wash with some WATER SOLUBLE Eucalyptus Oil. This not only takes the sizing and stiffness out of them, but also the smell. After all they are a canvas. Then I dry mine in a hot dryer cycle. This will soften them up like linen, and they won’t shrink, not matter how you wash them from now on. My sofa slipcovers I spoke of before are still going strong at my sisters house 13 years after I made them!

The next smart thing to do would be get your sewing machine, but I couldn’t find either of my two sewing machine power cords! We looked everywhere. They haven’t been used since we moved to the farm, so I’m praying they didn’t get flung out in the rubbish somewhere….this meant I had to hand sew the whole thing -argh!

I basically eyeballed his entire part. I didn’t measure a thing. Luckily I’m used to doing that with ceramics and drawing, but if you’re not good at that then definitely measure. You just pinch about an inch of the fabric and then poke the centre of it down to where you are pinching and grab onto that too. That’s where you’ll sew it. I sewed it in two sections from the front, then through the back because that’s where my pinch pleat hooks would go, so they needed to be strong. Like I said, look up YouTube for some great videos on how to do it.

It took a while because of the whole handstitching thing, but I was glad in the end. I remembered my mum always telling me how my Grannie hand sewed all of her beautiful drapes as they didn’t have a machine in those days. It felt like an accomplishment.

I’m so happy with them. They are nice and thick, stop the sun blaring through this window, without blocking all of the light (I hate dark living areas), and look just like our pure linen sofa covers you can see here. People that visit still can’t believe it when I tell them they are dropcloths!

One huge window cost me $73.00 instead of hundreds $$$. It was a massive saving. They will only get better with age too. Each wash they will get softer and a little lighter. I’m now convinced they will go on all the windows as either drapes like these, or soft Roman blinds.

Weve still got to finish off this room in here, but it’s looking SO much better already ~ Ness xx

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Comments (2)

  • Hi, there appears to have the brand name printed on the drop sheet. Were you able to remove that? Also, did these drop sheets have a seam? Some are smaller/more narrow pieces sewn together.

    Reply
    • Hi
      Yes they do have the brand in the top corner. I just folded that part over twice to make the pinch pleat section so you cant see it. Also, I find that if you get the largest drop sheets in the range, they dont seem to have as many seams in them. Once they are hung with the pinch pleats you ant notice. I put the seam to the back of the pinch pleat. I hope that makes sense.
      Ness x

      Reply

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