MATERIALS
54-inch-wide decorator fabric
Lining fabric
Sewing machine and matching thread
Yardstick
Fabric pen
Tracing paper
Straight pins, needle
1⁄4-inch-diameter dowel rods
Small plastic rings
2×1 board
Screw eyes
Cording
Cord pull
L brackets
Small awning cleat

INSTRUCTIONS

Cutting the Fabrics
Determine the finished width and height of the shade to see how much fabric will be needed. If the shade will be mounted inside the window frame, subtract 3⁄8 inch from the width so the shade can move freely.

Cut a piece of decorator fabric 3 inches longer and 3 inches wider than the finished shade size. If the shade is wider than the fabric, sew two fabric lengths together, matching patterns as needed, to achieve the
desired width.

Based on the fabric design and desired look as the shade is drawn up, determine how many folds (and thus dowel casings) will be needed. Note: The spaces between the dowel casings (called pockets) should be the same depth, ranging from 8–14 inches; 9-inch-deep pockets were used for this shade. However, to allow the scalloped bottom edge on this shade to show, the second pocket up from the bottom is only 4-1⁄2 inches deep—one-half the depth of all other pockets, including the bottom one.

For lining, add 3 inches, plus 1-1⁄4 inches for each dowel casing, to the finished shade length; add 1-1⁄2 inches to the finished shade width. Cut the lining this size.

Next: Preparing Dowel Casing and Pockets