How to Make a Curtain for a Bed Crown

Examine your bed crown to determine how to attach curtain panels to the inside of it. A common configuration is a hook-and-loop tape strip inside the crown. The opposing side of the tape strip is sewn to the top of the curtain panels. If your bed crown has another attachment method, you must modify the curtain panels accordingly. For example, hooks or a bar inside the bed crown indicate that you will need to add curtain hooks to the panels.

Drape a string from the attachment point inside the bed crown to the floor beside the bed in the same fashion you want your curtains to hang. Measure the string and add 1-1/2 inches to determine the curtain fabric length.

Buy fabric in interior decorating width, 54 inches. Adjust the amount of fabric quantity accordingly if your fabric is narrower than this. Add more fabric if you need to match a pattern or nap or if your bed crown is very wide. Cut three pieces of curtain fabric to length and three pieces of lining to length. Cut one piece of curtain fabric and one piece of lining in half lengthwise.

Stitch a half piece of curtain fabric to a whole piece of curtain fabric along the selvages with the right sides together. Match up the pattern if necessary. Repeat for the other half and whole piece of curtain fabric. Press the seams open with an iron.

Repeat Step 4 for the lining fabric. Now you have two larger panels of curtain fabric and two larger panels of lining.

Place one panel of curtain fabric and one panel of lining on a flat work surface with the right sides together, matching the seams. Sew them together on the sides and bottom 1/2-inch from the raw edge. Turn the panel right side out and press it flat. Fold the top edges inside 1 inch and press. Top-stitch the top edges closed.

Repeat Step 6 for the other curtain fabric and lining panels.

Sew drapery heading tape along the top edge of each panel on the lining side. Knot the strings of the heading tape on the side of each panel that will be near the wall. Sew a cord tidy bag below the other end of the tape on each panel. Draw the free ends of the strings up to gather the panels until each panel fits exactly halfway around the inside of the bed crown’s hook-and-loop tape. Adjust the gathers so the pleats are evenly distributed. Tie the strings of the tape to secure the pleats. Tuck the excess inside the tidy bags.

Line up the edge of the other side of the hook-and-loop tape with the top edge of the pleated panels on the curtain fabric side and sew them in place. If the pleats make the fabric too thick for your sewing machine, hand-stitch them in place. Now the panels are ready to be pressed to the hook-and-loop tape inside the bed crown.