How To Adjust Curtain Length

You have spent a lot of time searching for the perfect curtains suitable for your room and budget. But there is one problem, they don’t fit the size of your window. Well, that shouldn’t be a problem because most curtains can be adjusted to fit the size of your windows. If you bought a curtain and found that the size isn’t as you want, you can apply some tricks to adjust its length.

Having the right curtains can significantly affect the look of your interior; you don’t want them puddled on the floor. They should perfectly fit your windows. If you want to adjust curtain length, you’re at the right place. We’ll share the best ways you can alter the length of your curtains, even if you’re not an experienced needle person.

Before adjusting your curtain length, here is a nifty table about different curtain types and sizes, and how long they should be depending on window size.

It’s important to note that these are general guidelines and the appropriate curtain length may vary depending on personal preference and the specific style and design of the curtains. It may also be helpful to take into account the height of the ceiling and the overall aesthetic of the room when determining the appropriate length for your curtains.

How To Adjust Curtain Length Without Sewing

Most people prefer knowing how to alter curtains without sewing because it’s the fastest way to do it, and many people don’t have a sewing machine. If you want to learn how to alter curtains length without sewing, you can use a couple of methods to achieve that. 

Use Curtain Clips

Find Curtain Clips Here

Using curtain clips is one of the best ways to learn how to alter curtains length without any sewing involved, and it’s really easy to achieve the desired length you want. Here is how to use curtain clips;

1. Choose clips that can be attached to rings or hooks; Curtain clips come with hooks or rings at the top, and you can find a small alligator at the bottom. If the curtain is heavy, such as brocade or velvet, you should buy heavy-duty curtain clips. You can view the label to see the weight each clip can handle.
2. Fold from the top over to your desired length; Once your clips are ready, you should fold from the top. Measure the exact length to fold for each curtain. If there are tabs for sliding through, you need to cut them with scissors. This will ensure that the tabs aren’t visible on sunny days.
3. Clamp your curtain clips on the folder; You should make sure the clips are evenly spaced to make them look good. You can use as many as you can to make them look more luxurious; you just have to ensure you have spaced them equally.
4. Slide the hooks or rings on the curtain rod; after placing all the clips onto the fold, you should now slide the hooks or rings onto the rod. Slide them one by one, and you don’t need to bring down the rod. You can mount them on something to slide them through.
5. That’s it. Your curtains should be adjusted to your desired size. If you want to adjust them again, you need to remove the clips and then fold the curtains to any length you want.

Create A No Sew Hem

This is also another great method for learning how to alter curtains length without sewing. The process takes less time and doesn’t require much effort. Follow the instructions below to learn how to adjust curtain length with no-sew hem;

1. Check ironing instructions: This method requires ironing the curtaining, so it’s important to check the ironing instructions first. Some curtain fabrics can melt, while some require less heat. Look for ironing instructions; if nothing is found, you should look for symbols. It can be an iron symbol or the letter “a” symbol. Depending on how the symbol looks, it means one of the following;

• A plain symbol; you can use any heat setting.
• 1 dot symbol; use low heat.
• 2 dot symbol; only use medium heat.
• 3 dot symbol; maximum heat setting is allowed.
• X symbol; you cannot iron this fabric. For this type of fabric, you cannot use a no-sew hem to adjust the length. You should use clips instead.

1. Fold the curtain from the button to fit the required length; you can do this by stretching the curtain on the floor or by hanging it and then measuring the size you want so that you can fold the bottom. Just know that you will fold the curtain under towards the back.
2. Start pinning the no-sew hem into place; After folding the curtains, you should start pinning the hem horizontally to secure it. No need to worry if the pins show up because you will remove them shortly. If you don’t want to use straight pins, you can use safety pins instead.
3. Iron the fold and remove the pins while doing so; ironing the fold will create a crease. You should place the curtain on an ironing board and only iron at the appropriate temperature based on the label you have checked on the fabric. While ironing, you should remove the pins.
4. Place a strip of hem tape inside the fold and iron; You should have your hem tape ready, and you need to place a strip inside the fold and then iron it so that the fold is attached to the fabric.
5. Iron gently over the hem to secure the tape; you need to iron over the area you have placed the strip for a few seconds. Move through the area while you iron gently. Don’t let the iron come in contact directly with the hem.
6. Trim the excess part; If the fold is too long, you can trim excessive parts easily using sharp scissors.

Fold A Rod Pocket

Creating a rod pocket is also another way to learn how to alter curtains length without any sewing involved. This isn’t a complex process as well that will consume much time. Follow the steps below in order to create a rod pocket;

1. Fold the curtain from the top twice; you’re folding from the top and making it towards the back of the curtain. You should make 2 folds, but if the curtain already has a rod pocket, you should do only one fold.
2. Start adding pins that will secure the pocket; you should slide pins horizontally close to the bottom of the hem, making sure to leave enough space for the pocket where the rod will slide through.
3. Place the folded hem on an ironing board; start ironing the hem while removing the pins. 
4. Open the pocket gently and place a hem tape under it; since you’re not sewing the hem, you should place the hem tape that will secure the pocket. If you prefer to use a sewing machine, you can use that as well.
5. You should iron the hem tape; you can now press your iron on the hem tape to hold the fabric tightly. Move over slowly and gently and ensure the fabric’s heat setting isn’t exceeded.
6. Slide the rod through the pocket; you can now slide the curtain pocket over the rod, and your work should look perfect at the desired length.

We have answered the most frequently asked questions about adjusting a curtain length.

How Many Inches Off The Floor Should Curtains Be?

The average length off the floor is 3 inches. But generally, you want them to be just above the floor. If you let them drag the floor, they will collect dust easily.

Will A Tailor Shorten Curtains?

Shortening curtains is a common service offered by tailors. You have already seen the effective methods that can be used to shorten them without sewing. If you don’t want to use any of the methods outlined in this article, you can find a tailor to shorten them.

How Do You Shorten Curtains With Double-Sided Tape?

Double-sided fusible tape can be effectively used to adhere 2-layers of fabric together permanently. You need to fold the curtains and then place the tap inside the folder. You should then iron gently over the area you have placed the tape.

Should Curtains Be Shortened From The Top Or Bottom?

It depends on the type of shortening you want to do. If you want to create a folding pocket, you will fold it from the top. For other methods, it’s mostly shortened from the bottom, as we have shared previously.

Is It OK For Curtains To Be Longer Than Windows?

Yes, and they’re ideally used on short windows so that they can appear larger.

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• Learn how to keep your curtains together