How to Make a French Door Lined With Curtains

French doors are an elegant addition to your home, whether as interior or exterior doors. However, the double doors don't afford much privacy since they are paneled with windows. Curtains over your French doors not only add privacy but also extra interest to your decor. Simple curtain rods are best for installing French door curtains since the curtains should draw the most attention -- not the rods. The color of the curtains can be neutral, like plain white, patterned or a bold color, like red, to set off the doors.

Measuring tape
Fabric for two door panels
Scissors
Iron
Sewing gauge
Pins
Sewing machine
Thread
4 curtains rods with brackets
Screws
Drill
Screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the length and width of the window frame in one of the French doors. Measure out two pieces of fabric, making each twice as wide and 8 inches longer than the window frame. Cut out the fabric pieces and iron them flat.
- 2
  Hem the long sides of one panel. Take one piece of fabric and fold the side edges a half-inch toward the underside of the cloth, using a sewing gauge to measure the hem. Iron the hem flat. Fold the hem over again by a half-inch and iron it flat. Pin the hem in place and sew the side hems with a one-eighth-inch seam using a straight stitch on normal tension.
- 3
  Hem the bottom of one panel. Fold the bottom of the fabric a half-inch toward the underside of the fabric and iron it flat. Fold up the hem another 2 inches and iron it flat. Pin in place and sew the bottom hem using a straight stitch on normal tension with a 1 3/4 inch seam.
- 4
  Hem the top of one panel. Fold the top of the fabric by a half-inch toward the underside of the fabric and iron it flat. Fold over the hem again by 2 inches and iron it flat. Pin in place and sew the top hem using a straight stitch and normal tension with a 1 3/4 inch seam.
- 5
  Repeat steps 2 through 4 to make the second door panel.
- 6
  Install the brackets for the top curtain rod. Position the brackets on one door on either side of the window so each bracket is 1 inch from the side of the window frame and 1 inch from the top of the frame. Make sure the brackets are parallel so the curtain rod hangs straight. Screw the brackets onto the door with the drill. Repeat this process for the other door.
- 7
  Install the brackets for the bottom curtain rod. Position the brackets on the door on either side of the window so each bracket is 1 inch from the side of the window frame and 1 inch from the bottom of the frame. Make sure the brackets are parallel so the curtain rod hangs straight. Screw the brackets onto the door with the drill. Repeat this process for the other door.
- 8
  Slide the curtains onto the rods and place the rods on the brackets. Tighten the screws in the brackets to hold the rods in place using the screwdriver.

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