DIY Cover for an Aluminum Vertical Blind Standard Cornice

Measure the length, width and depth of your vertical blind cornice. The width is the distance from the top to the bottom. The depth is the distance from the wall to the front of the curtain. Purchase two curtain rods that are 1/3-inch and are 1 inch deeper than the cornice, but can be adjusted to be 2 inches longer.

Multiply the depth of the curtain rod by two and add an additional 3 inches for ease and hems. Add this distance to the length of the rod. This will be the length of fabric required for the cover. Add 5 inches to the width of the cornice to calculate the width of the fabric. Cut a strip of fabric with these dimensions.

Set your sewing machine to a medium zigzag stitch. Sew along all four sides of the fabric to finish the edges.

Lay the fabric on an ironing board with the right side down. Iron a 1/2-inch hem on each short end. Set the sewing machine to sew a straight stitch with a standard stitch length. Sew 1/4 inch from the folded edges to hold the hems in place.

Iron down a 1 1/4-inch-wide casing on each of the long edges of the fabric. Sew 1 inch from the folds to hold the casings in place.

Hang the curtain rod brackets according to the manufacturer's instructions. Hang one set so the top of the rod will be 1 inch above the cornice and the other set so that the bottom of the rod will be 1 inch below the bottom of the cornice. The ends of the rods should be 1 inch beyond the ends of the cornice.

If the instructions recommend installing a center support, place it halfway between the two top brackets. The center support is included in the rod hardware package. The bottom rod does not need a center support, as the fabric will hold the center of the rod up.

Thread a curtain rod through both casings of the fabric cover. Hang the rods on the brackets. Adjust the fabric until smooth and the ends are pressed against the wall on each side.