DIY Curtains from Sheets - No Sewing Required!

Don't spend a ton of money on curtains! I'll show you how to make curtains out of sheets to match your existing bedding!

Like so many kids his age, my son is a Lego fanatic. When he wanted a Lego-themed bedroom, I happily obliged. But I couldn't find curtains to fit his Lego theme!

Luckily, I did have a flat sheet that he never used! I'll show you how to make curtains out of sheets to save you money and clear out space in the linen closet!

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I bought a Lego Movie bedding set that he loved at Target (they're sold out, but you can find similar ones here). But all the curtains I found were either ridiculously expensive, or didn't fit his window.

Then I realized that I already had the materials to make my own! You see, our kiddo sleeps like a windmill, and we've learned not to put flat sheets on his bed. If we do, he just ends up wrapping himself up like a burrito and then calls out for us to rescue him in the middle of the night.

The flat sheet from the set I bought was just going into the linen closet anyway, so I might as well put them to good use as curtains!

Materials Needed to Make Curtains

• Twin size flat sheet
• Fabric scissors
• Fabric lining
  • You could use blackout fabric or even an old white sheet for this!
• Steam-a-seam
• Sewing gauge
• Pins
• Iron
• Sewing machine (optional)

How to Make Curtains out of Sheets

Measure Your Window

I didn't have enough fabric to create curtains that covered the full length of the windows, so I went with basic valances. The general rule of thumb is to make a valance ⅕ to ¼ of the length from the curtain rod to the bottom of the window trim.

Mine ended up being closer to ⅓ of the length in order to keep all the characters and blocks that I wanted, but rules were made to be broken!

Cut the Bed Sheet to Your Measurements

I started cutting the length first. I wanted two rows of characters, with two rows of Lego blocks at the top and bottom. Add 1 ½" to the bottom for the hem, and 2" to the top to make the curtain rod pocket.

I took advantage of the straight lines in the pattern to cut the curtain panel to size. If you don't have this option, just draw a line with a ruler and fabric marker, making sure it runs perpendicular to the sheet edge.

Cut the width the same way, adding two inches to each side for the hem. I played around with the layout until I could find a spot where I could place the ends so that no characters were cut in half when the hem was folded up. 

Add a Lining (Optional)

The sheet was pretty thin by itself, so I decided to line the curtains. Lining curtains is super easy and doesn't require any additional sewing! Just cut a piece of white fabric to the final size of the curtain. The hem will be folded up over the unfinished edge, like you see on the right in this photo.

Hem the Curtain Edges

Fold up the bottom edge ¾", then fold it again over the lining and pin it into place. If you don't have a sewing machine, you can sandwich a strip of Steam-a-Seam in between and iron it all together. Otherwise, just sew across the bottom edge.

Then fold the sides in the same way and iron or sew it together.

Create the curtain rod pocket

Fold the top edge down 2 inches and pin, adding Steam-a-Seam along the edge if you're going the no-sew route. Then iron or sew across close to the edge to create the curtain rod pocket. If you're a real stickler, you can press a hem before you sew down the top edge, but I didn't bother.

Hang your new bed sheet curtains

That's all there is to it! Just insert the curtain rod, screw the brackets on the wall and hang them up.

I love the extra pop of color on the gray walls of his room. The colors also nicely complement the framed Pokemon art I found on Etsy and, of course, his Lego creations. When he gets tired of the Lego theme, it will be simple to make new curtains that match his bedding!

Check out these other easy DIY projects!