Fabric, Hardware and Tools

Fabrics and Linings for Roman Shades
You can use a multitude of fabrics for the front of your Roman shade. My own preference is high-quality 100% cotton. I use fabrics marketed to quilters. I love the wide range of colors that are now available. For those of you who aren't quilters, you should visit a local quilt fabric store. You will find very few calicos. Stores that target art quilters will have a wide range of 100% cotton batik fabrics and may also carry hand-dyed pieces. 

There are two possible disadvantages when using quilting cottons to make window shades. First, they almost always come in widths of 42" to 45". Decorator fabrics come in 54" widths. So you are more likely to have to seam quilting cottons to achieve the required width of your shade. If you are making pieced Roman shades, this is never an issue, as you will be sewing together hundreds of fabrics anyway. Secondly, quilting cottons do not have a fabric protectant finish. This is not really a problem as you can spray your shade with a product like Scotchgard before installation.
If I can't find what I am looking for in the quilt fabric shop, I will visit a full-range store that also carries decorator fabrics. I still look for the 100% cotton fabrics, because I feel that they hang better. I don't particularly like the heavy weight tapestry fabrics, both because that is because of my own style and they fray easily. You may want that look. If you know how to sew them, sheers make beautiful Roman shades.

Great Fabrics for Roman shades:

·         100% high-quality cotton - you need to Scotchgard these after you have made your shade

·         100% high-quality cotton decorator fabrics - these are usually already treated with a fabric protectant. Check the tag on the bolt.

·         High-quality blends of cotton and polyester - you need to Scotchgard these after you have made your shade

·         Sheer fabrics that have plenty of "form" to them, don't use flimsy, stretchy sheers

·         High quality Linen

·         Silk - note that many silks that are not specifically designed for window treatments are very unstable to light. Be sure to line them with a good drapery lining and only put them on windows where they do not receive sunlight on the front of the shade.

Not recommended for Roman shades:

 

·         Heavy decorator fabrics

·         Loosely woven fabrics

·         Stretchy fabrics

 

Linings for Roman Shades
I always back my shades with a drapery lining. One of the most important reasons to do this is to provide protection from ultraviolet light for the fabric on the front of your shade and also for your furniture and floors. I like using a light-weight lining that lets the sun filter in, but still provides privacy. You can purchase drapery lining in any general fabric store. It comes in large rolls and is usually 48" to 54" wide. Some linings are available in widths up to 104".
Reasons to back your shade with a high quality drapery lining

·         provide protection from ultraviolet light

·         provide insulation, both from heat in the summer and cold in the winter

·         provide added stability to your shade

·         provide a means to "hide" the internal parts of the shade, such as battens and weight rods

·         provide room-darkening properties (when using Blackout lining)

I personally like Roc-lon Thermalsuede lining, which is made by Rockland Industries and is widely available. (You can purchase 54" wide Thermalsuede in white at our Online Store.) It has a cotton/polyester front and is backed with a thin foam (not rubber) coating. It is stable and the shade lining can be cut either on the horizontal or the vertical, whichever involves purchasing less yardage. As its name suggest, Thermalsuede was developed as an insulating lining. It's amazing how effective it is in keeping both the heat and the cold out of your room. At the same time, it is light-filtering, rather than light-blocking. I really like this property since the room is not totally dark when you enter in the morning. I lower my shades during the summer daytime to block the intense Colorado sunshine. My shades "glow" with the backlight and the room takes on a wonderful, cool tone.

Another lining that you may be using is Blackout. This lining is used when you want to completely block out the light coming in a window and is commonly used in bedrooms and home theatres. If you think you need to use this lining for added insulation, I would question the assumption that it is necessary. Thermalsuede, as already mentioned, performs almost as well as Blackout in terms of insulation. Blackout lining is about twice as heavy as Thermalsuede. Keep that in mind if you are making a large shade.

I use one more variety of lining: Rain-No-Stain, also from Rockland Industries. It is designed for situations where your shade will (or might) get wet. This means for a shade on a window IN the shower or tub area. It is not necessary for shades in the bathroom that are exposed to a damp environment. 

Take your Pattern Sketch to the fabric store. You have the cut sizes of both at the bottom of the page. If the required Cut Width of your fabric and/or lining is wider than the width of your fabric, you will have to join two or more fabric widths. Standard practice is to place one full width in the center of the shade and two smaller widths on each side. If you will have a lift line running down the center of the shade, it is alright to have a center seam instead. I use a 1/4" seam to join two sections of fabric together. If you are using heavy-weight fabric, use a 1/2" seam. Be sure to include this seam allowance when you are determining how much fabric to purchase. If you are unsure about quantities, show your Pattern Sketch to a clerk in the fabric store. They are usually very helpful and can make sure you purchase the correct yardage. The Hardware Calculator gives a recommended yardage for 54"-wide lining. This is a rough estimate of the amount of lining you will need to make your shade. Be sure to make your own calculation before purchasing material.

Hardware Decisions Let's go through the Hardware Requirements on your Hardware Calculator printout and discuss your options. All items on your printout are available in our Shopping Area on this site. Most items are also available locally. You can read the "More Details" page for each hardware item for suggestions on where to purchase items in your area.

	Internal Plastic Battens The first four items are Plastic Battens. If you checked Yes for the statement "I will be using wooden or plastic battens." your printout will give a quantity for one of the four sizes of battens. It also tells you to cut the battens to a certain length. You do this with kitchen shears or wire cutters. This is the one item we will not pre-cut for you. I have been using internal battens in my Roman shades for over 15 years. I LOVE them. Why? Two reasons. 1. If you use battens in the fold lines, your shades will fold up perfectly, even the first time you raise them. Most directions for making Roman shades do not include placing battens on the fold lines. Most Roman shades also "bunch-up" when you raise them and require "training" so that they fold cleanly. You will spend many hours making your shade. Do you really want to fuss with it every time you raise it? 2. Battens also allow you to space your lift lines much further apart than normal. Instead of the standard 6" to 8" horizontal spacing, there can be as much as 20" between ring columns. That means you have to sew on a lot fewer rings.
	Plastic Batten Splice If your Finished Shade Width is larger than 60" (5-feet), you will need a Plastic Batten Splice to join two battens. The Hardware Calculator assumes that you will cut pieces to size, so you may only get one extra batten. If you are not using battens, this will say NA (not applicable).
	Flat Pulley This item is used on the mounting board to direct the lift lines up and out the top side of the shade. They are used instead of screw eyes. If you are using screw eyes, simply substitute them for this item. Why do you recommend using pulleys instead of the standard screw eyes on the headrail? Have you ever used both hands to pull up a fabric shade? I can guarantee you that shade had screw eyes on the headrail to direct the lift cords. You can make an amazingly large shade and lift it easily if you thread your lift lines through pulleys. They are essential for large shades. In fact, I prefer the "feel" so much that I use them on even the smallest shade. The quality of operating your shade should match the custom look of your fabric front.
	Knot Screw Eye This item should say NA (not applicable) unless you are making a Top-Down shade and you are NOT using a cord lock pulley. You only use a Knot Screw Eye (a very small screw eye) if you are making a Top-Down shade without a cord lock pulley.
	Cord Lock Pulley If you specified that you would be using a cord lock pulley, this line will say you need one. The Hardware Calculator computes quantities for one shade. You only need one cord lock pulley for a shade. It is placed at the edge of the mounting board, with a Flat Pulley mounted in-tandem to direct the cords into the locking mechanism.
	Hook and Loop Fastener You will be attaching your shade to the mounting board using hook and loop fastener (Velcro). Why do I recommend using Velcro to attach the shade to the mounting board instead of simply stapling it to the top of the board? I made my first shade the "conventional" way by stapling it to the mounting board. Of course, my first shade was two large panels on one board, which was for a double sliding door. Picture this: here I am on a tall ladder, underneath the shade, trying to hold up the board (with shades attached) and screw it to the angle irons. My arms were aching and my neck hurt. Then I climb down from under the shades, only to see that they are hanging crooked. So I try to remove the staples, ripping a few holes in the fabric (my beautiful pieced shades that I have spent hours and hours sewing) and attempt to re-staple them while the board is still attached to the wall. Well, that didn't work, so I took the board down, re-stapled the shade, climbed back under the shades and started over. I vowed to never again do that, and have used hook and loop fastener on all of my shades since then. The fastener holds even the largest shade. In order to un-mate the fasteners, you have to pull out from the window. The force on the shade (don't forget, I am a physicist!) is downward. The shades do not come off all by themselves no matter how large or heavy they are.  You can find "soft" Velcro in a general sewing store like JoAnn's Fabrics. Be sure to get the soft, sew-on variety. It is about half as thick (and twice as expensive) as the regular Velcro. You can also purchase soft hook and loop fastener at our Online Store. When you try to sew regular-weight Velcro to the top (through two-thickness of fabric and two-thickness of lining), the shade top shrinks noticeably in width. Using the soft Velcro fixes this problem.
	Lift Ring. The quantity given by the Hardware Calculator should be same as the number of rings you drew on your Pattern. Be sure that your lift rings are stable to ultraviolet light since they are on the back of your shade and will be exposed to sunlight. If your shade will be used in a room where children will be playing or sleeping, you may want to use our new Child-Safe lift rings. They are designed to release the lift cord with excessive force.
	Lift Cord The quantity given by the Hardware Calculator might seem like a lot based upon the size of your shade. Each cord goes the length of your shade, across the top and then back down again. Since the Calculator has no way of knowing where you want the cords to end on the side of your shade, it simply doubles the length of the shade and adds in the width (for each lift line). This way, you will have enough cord. Roman shade lift cord comes in various sizes, usually somewhere between 1-mm and 2-mm diameter. Once again, be sure that the cord is stable to ultraviolet light. It should also be tightly woven so that it will be resistant to abrasion, especially if you insist on using screw eyes.
	Cord Drop This item is used to finish-off the end of your lift cords. You will need one of these for each shade. Be sure that it has some "weight" to it so that the cords hang nicely. The cord drops are designed for multiple cords. You will be braiding all of your lift cords together. This is considered a child-safe procedure IF YOU USE A CORD CLEAT (next item) TO KEEP THE CORDS OUT OF REACH. If you want truly child-safe dangling cords, then you should use our Cord Tassels, which hold ONLY ONE Cord, so that there is never a loop.
	Cord Cleat You need one of these for each shade if you are NOT using a cord lock pulley. If you specified that you were using a cord lock pulley, the quantity will read NA (not applicable). A note on the "Not Applicable". To be Child-Safe, EVERY shade should use a cord cleat to keep the cords out of reach of children.
	Mounting Board You will probably be using a 1x2 board that is good quality pine. The actual measurement of the board will be about 3/4" by 1-3/4", due to loss when it is milled. The length of the board will be cut to 1/4" shorter than the Finished Shade Width.
	Stiffener Board You only use a Stiffener Board if you are making a Top-Down shade. It is slipped into a pocket at the top of the shade and prevents the top from sagging when lowered.
	Weight Rod: Aluminum or Steel. The Hardware Calculator will recommend the correct type of weight rod based upon the size of your shade. You will have one weight rod for each shade. You will cut the rod 1.25" shorter than the Finished Shade Width since it will be slipped into the hem of the lining.
	Rod Splice If your Finished Shade Width is larger than 60" you will need a rod splice to join two rods. You should join your rods before cutting to 1.25" shorter than the Finished Shade Width.
	Angle Iron You only use angle irons if you are making a Top-Down shade. These directions have you attach the mounting board for a Classic Roman shade directly to your wall or window trim without an angle iron.
Lining (54” wide)	This is a rough estimate of the amount of lining you will need to make your shade. Be sure to make your own calculation before purchasing material.

Supplies
The very bottom of the Hardware Calculator results lists four supply items. Let's review each of these items.

Fabric Glue. If you are using internal battens, you will be gluing them inside your shade. This glue was developed for permanently attaching sequins to T-shirts. It works perfectly for gluing your plastic battens to the fabric shade. It dries clear and remains flexible even after hanging in your window for years. Regular white glue (such as Elmer's glue) becomes brittle when exposed to sun. Your battens will just fall off after a few months in your window.

Adding Machine PaperYou need this item when sewing a foam-backed lining to the front fabric if your sewing machine does not have a walking presser foot. It prevents the presser foot from sticking on the foam and shifting your fabrics when you are stitching. More information can be found in the directions on sewing the side seams.

Scotchgard Fabric Spray Use this spray to protect your shade from soil and grease. If you are using decorator fabric, it may already be treated with a stain-resistant finish. Check the bolt. 

Button & Craft Thread Use this strong thread to sew on your lift rings. A special glace starch finish prevents tangling and knots, and provides abrasion resistance. The color of the thread should match your front fabric. If you use regular thread, you have to take double the number of stitches to attach your lift rings.

Tools for Making Roman Shades
There are two distinct set of "tools" that you need to easily make a Roman shade. If you don't already have these items, it is worthwhile investing in a set. You only purchase the tools once and then you use them over and over to make shades for your whole house (and your sister's house and your daughter's house and ...). You will have to guard your items, because you will find that your kids and spouse will covet your tools. The first set are Fabric Measuring and Cutting tools. The second set are Mounting Board "Manufacturing" tools.

Fabric Measuring and Cutting Tools
The fabric tools required to make a Roman shade are quite simple and are shown below. For those of you who have never used a rotary cutter, I urge you to purchase one and give it a try. They almost make the fabric shears obsolete.  All general fabric stores, as well as quilt fabric stores, carry items 1, 3, 5, 6-8. You will need to go to a hardware store or a home improvement store to find an aluminum ruler, steel tape measure and Carpenter's square.

 

1. Self-healing plastic cutting mat. I like a large mat (24" x 35"). I have 4 of these and as my project gets larger, I butt several mats together. 2. Aluminum ruler (48" and 72") These are invaluable when squaring your shade. 3. Quilter's ruler. This see-through ruler is used with the rotary cutter to accurately cut your fabric. 4. Steel tape measure. Don't use a cloth tape measure, it will stretch. I regularly use two of these when I am in the final sewing stages to make sure the shade is the correct size. 5. Marking pens. I use a lead pencil and sometimes a white charcoal pencil.

 

6. Seam ripper. Boy I hate to use these, but sometimes I goof. Oh yes, you also need this to carefully cut a hole in the lining for the weight rod.

7. Rotary cutter. This works just like a pizza cutter. I like the medium size, the blade is about 1-3/4" in diameter.

8. Fabric shears. I only use these for rough-cuts when I am cutting lining off the bolt. I always use the rotary cutter when actually cutting things to the correct size.

9. Carpenter's square. Absolutely necessary when trimming your side seams (perpendicular to the bottom of your shade) and top (perpendicular to the sides of your shade).

One item is not in the photograph: you will need straight pins. I use long silk pins (they have a very small head) and also long glass-headed pins.

Mounting Board Manufacturing Tools
The non-sewing tools required to make a Roman shade are quite simple and are shown below. If you are mechanical enough to use a sewing machine, you can master these tools. They are quite inexpensive and every woman (and man) should own them. Visit your local hardware store. 

 

1. Screwdriver. This is used to turn the screws used to attach the pulleys and Cord Locks to the mounting board, attach the board itself to the wall or window trim and attach the cord cleat to your wall. I use Phillips head screws, and so use a Phillips head screwdriver. 2. Hacksaw.  This saw comes with a metal-toothed band that is used to cut the metal weight rods used in the bottom of the shade. It cuts very hard materials, but takes patience. When I am cutting a 3/8ths-inch steel rod, I saw for about 100-strokes, take a break and then saw again, repeating until I am through the whole rod. See Items 6 and 8 also.

3. Ice Pick. I use this tool for two purposes. It can be used in place of an awl to create a "starter" hole for screws. For example, to attach the pulley to the board, hold it in the correct place then make holes where the two screws will go. I also use it when threading lift cords through the cord drop.

4. Hammer. Use this for all pounding activities: completing the stapling process (for those of us with weak hands), making a starter hole with the ice pick (tap on the wood handle, rather than push down with your hand), etc.

5. Wire Cutters. Use this to cut the plastic Roman shade ribs (battens) to the correct size. You can also use a wire stripper for this purpose.

6. C-Clamps. Use these clamps to hold the weight rods and mounting boards while you saw away. If your are lucky enough to have a vise, use that instead.

7. Staple gun. Use this to attach fabric to your mounting board for a finished look. You also staple the hook fastener portion of the Velcro to the mounting board using a staple gun. This tool is often hard for a woman to use, especially if you have small hands. Just take your time and use both hands to squeeze the handle if necessary. Then use that hammer to drive the staples the rest of the way in. You don't need very long staples. I prefer 1/4" ones, or at most, 3/8".

8. Metal file (the number 8 is hard to read, it is sitting on the top of a piece of sandpaper). Use this to remove any sharp edges on your metal weight rod after you cut it down to the correct length. You can use a metal nail file if you wish. The sandpaper is used to remove rough edges from the mounting board.

9. Hand saw. This is used to cut the wood mounting board to the correct length. Secure with C-clamps when sawing (see Item 6).

Nice to haves: an electric drill is wonderful. You can use this to drill pilot holes for your screws and to attach your screws using a Philips-head drill bit.