I love roller blinds for their functionality (privacy and light blockage are there when you want it, gone when you don’t), but they’re not always the most exciting thing to look at. (Plain sheet of white vinyl? But here’s a simple way to snazz up the situation — sew your own, using a hacked purchased blind as a base. I think fabric blinds have a minimalism that’s really chic, and they allow you to use bold prints that could be too much in a full-on curtain. Best of all, you can start and finish this project in just a couple hours, so a window makeover is just an afternoon away. CLICK HERE for the full roller blind how-to after the jump! heavy-duty roller blinds (including necessary hardware to hang them) medium-weight fabric (determine how much you’ll need in Step 2) all-purpose thread to match your fabric L-square or yard stick OR cutting mat, rotary cutter and straight edge Sturdy, medium-heavy fabrics (such as light canvas, cotton twill or decor-weight cottons) work best for this project.

A somewhat stiff fabric is preferable over something softer, as the stiff fabric will roll up more successfully than flimsier choices. If you have your heart set on a lightweight fabric, I’d suggest lining it with fusible interfacing to give it more body and stiffness. Although I haven’t tried it, stiff sheer fabrics (like the sheer panels sold at Ikea) would probably work well here too. 2. Hack, Install, and Measure One important thing to note is that you should choose a heavy-weight roller blind (sometimes labeled “maximum light blocking,” or similar). The spring mechanism in lighter blinds isn’t always strong enough to support the weight of a fabric shade, so I suggest playing it safe and going heavy-duty. Install the original (pre-hacked) blind in your window following the manufacturer’s instructions. Note the direction the blind rolls (ie, with the blind rolling from the back or the front of the roller), as well as which end of the roller goes to the left and right.

You’ll need to plan your blind so that it rolls in exactly the same way. Remove the vinyl shade from the purchased roller blind and reserve it for another use. (I gave mine to a friend who is going to use it as a drop cloth when painting.) Also remove the dowel or plastic bar from the bottom of the blind, and set it aside (you’ll use it later). Measure the roller bar from end to end, just inside the caps on each end. Add 1″ to this length for measurement A.Hot Tub Parts Knoxville Tn Also measure the distance from the roller bar to the spot where you would like the blind to fall, and add 9″ to this length for measurement B.Labrador Pups For Sale In Wa Cut a piece of fabric that’s as wide as A and long as B.Dogs For Sale Dixon Il

It’s important to cut the fabric straight and even, so that the blind will hang straight. This is probably the trickiest part of this project, so take a little extra care to be sure you’ve got it really straight. To get a good, straight cut, use the selvedge edge of your fabric as a guide — you can count on the selvedge edge to be straight, so if you work from that line, you’ll be on the right track. If you have access to one, I highly recommend a rotary cutter, cutting mat, and straight edge for this job, as these tools make it really easy to cut perfectly straight lines and right angles. If you don’t have these, you can use an L-square or a yard stick to mark straight lines. Make the first cut along the selvedge edge, then measure from that line to make the remaining cuts, being careful to cut right angles so that all edges will be straight. Turn under the long side edges 1/2″ and press. (Note: only turn the fabric under once, not twice as you would normally do.

It’s best to avoid extra bulk in the seams so that the blind will roll up neatly, and a double-fold would case more bulk. This does mean that the raw edge of the fabric will be visible on the back side of the curtain, but what the heck, live dangerously!) Sew along the side seams, stitching close to the folded-under raw edge. Next, turn under the bottom edge 1/2″ and press, then turn it under another 1 1/2″ and press again. Stitch in place, sewing close to the interior fold. (Note: the sides of the hem will stay open, which creates a sleeve for inserting the dowel at the bottom of the blind.) To attach the fabric blind to the roller mechanism, place the fabric right-side up on a work surface. (The cutting mat works great here, as you can use the grid lines to be sure you’re aligning everything evenly.) It’s important to be sure the roller is aligned perfectly straight at the top edge of the fabric, so that the fabric will roll evenly. (Also take a moment here to be sure your fabric will be rolling in the correct direction, as you noted in Step 2.)

On the blinds I purchased, there was adhesive left on the roller from where the vinyl had been attached, and it was strong enough to hold my fabric panel. If that’s not the case for you, apply a strip of double-sided tape to attach the fabric to the roller. Then simply roll the fabric onto the roller. Pop your blind back into the hardware you installed earlier. Insert the dowel (which you removed earlier from the hacked blind) into the pocket and you’re done!I’ve had a lot of posts and questions from people recently asking about keeping warm in the winter, and having just dug out my annual (what I call my) ‘survival kit’, I thought I’d do a quick post about it in case anyone finds it helpful. As with the nature of these posts, I’m sure there will be lots of helpful hints and tips popping up in the comments below as well! This winter I am living in a flat with large windows and wooden floors – again – BRRRR!! So number 1 item on my list is SLIPPERS.

Or in my case, fleecy ‘footsie’ things, that were £3 from a certain cheap high street clothing store… I put them on when I get through the door and take them off when I’m safely tucked up under a duvet. I am used to layering up by now, and do it out of habit when the colder weather sets in – I think I’ve got it pretty nailed. First up, thick wool-type tights, under thin leggings, under jeans. In order to save on washing, I wear the tights and the leggings for a few days – I mean, how dirty are they going to get under a pair of jeans anyway? I hang them up to air overnight to freshen them up. I’m sure someone would have told me by now if I didn’t smell great – but I’m assuming I’m all fine! On top, I wear a vest top, then a long sleeved top, then a jumper. In the evenings, I keep the leggings and long sleeved top on under my pyjamas, and throw a dressing gown over the top. Apart from my hands and face, I try to cover up everything, so I don’t get any cold patches of skin – including tucking vests into tights.

I have no shame, but it works. Thermal underwear can be expensive; I find a pair of £2 woolly tights and a £3 long sleeved top (both from that super cheap high street store) just as effective – layers work by trapping warm air between them, and that warm air isn’t fussy about what brand name your layers are! Other things I do, almost without thinking about them: – Shower in the evening; it’s evenings I find the worst of all. In the mornings it’s unpleasant to get out of bed in the cold, but with a toddler to organise and breakfast to make etc, I’m up and about and moving, so the cold feeling doesn’t last too long. In the evenings, when I relax and unwind and am doing less pottering about, that’s when I start to feel the cold – so I jump in the shower and blast myself through, even a warm shower is bliss when your home is freezing, and takes the edge off for an hour or so. – Draw the curtains in the evening to keep heat in, especially if you have large windows.

I have an enormous bay window and keeping the curtains closed makes a noticeable difference. – Wear a hat indoors. I know it sounds a bit daft but (apparently) a lot of heat is lost through your head, I’m not sure about the science but I certainly always feel warmer with a hat pulled down around my ears. In the coldest months I even sleep in my hat, and it’s the best warm and cosy feeling! – Eat hot food: I like porridge in the evening as a snack, it warms me up and gives my body something to ‘do’ – we get colder when we are hungry. Carbs get a pretty bad press these days, but a quick bowl of pasta or porridge does wonders for warming me up. Plus standing over that pan of boiling water for 10 minutes as pasta cooks is good for warming up a little bit… – Drink hot drinks: if i’m feeling organised, I keep freshly boiled water in a Thermos-type flask to keep it hot for hours instead of reboiling the kettle. When I was younger, my mum used to make us hot blackcurrant juice in the evenings, I still find it quite comforting now.

Warm drinks will raise your core temperature, and warm up your hands and fingers too. – Pick a room and stick to it. In the evenings, I migrate into the ‘snug’ – which is my lounge/bedroom and sounds a lot posher than it really is! It’s basically a room with a single daybed in but it’s the only room with a rug – and lots of blankets and throws! I work from there if I have work to do, tucked up on my sofa-that-is-also-my-bed. I close all of the doors in the flat to stop cold air from circulating around it – and hermit in my corner far away from the big windows.This sounds bizarre but I think most of my readers will have worked out i’m cut from my own cloth by now: make a bed-tent. Less complicated than it sounds. When you go to bed, pull the covers right over your head. Your breathing will warm the little space up very quickly – and you can pop your head back out again in a minute or so.Put a handful of rice into a sock, tie the end (or sew it if you’re good at that sort of thing) and pop it in the microwave for a minute to make a reusable heat pack for your hands.