Recently, I was out shopping with a family friend looking for some new cost efficient ways to spruce up her bedroom. We came across a some pretty sheer beige and brown curtains that would be a perfect fit for her room and the upcoming summer months... with one tiny problem... no valance. We had seen a few sets that included the valance but they were expensive and not quite the material and color scheme she was hoping for. Since these curtains were on clearance for an unbelievable price (and individual panels tend to be cheaper than complete sets) I decided to try my hand at making our own valances.
My Nannie was a seamstress so you would think that sewing would be one of the skills I have tucked under my craft tool belt right? Wrong! Nannie used a family antique sewing machine so it was strictly off limits to her grand kids' less than gentle hands. My other grandma taught me to sew by hand but not well enough to create an even seam in a shear material. After some though I decided to give iron on hem tape a shot. This shear tape comes in different widths and can be placed between two layers of material and then ironed to created a bond or hem. One roll was more than enough to for this project and at $3.00-$5.00 per roll it is a cheap and easy fix. An added benefit it the tape turns clear when heat is applied so the "hem" would not show through the sheer material of these curtains.
For her two windows we purchased a total of five floor length panels- one for each side of the windows and one to create the valances. This particular set had a seam on the top and bottom that would accommodate the curtain rode so I was able to cut the curtain in half and seam the cut edge. If the curtains you purchase do not have a space for a rob through the top and bottom you have two options. You can purchase two separate curtains so you have the top rod slot, or for the bottom half you can hem both sides of the piece, as I show below, allowing for a gap before the seam so there is a space for a rod.
Now for the "how to" so you can make you own valances from curtains at home. First cut the curtain panel in half, don't worry about a perfectly straight cut at this point. Next lay one of the pieces, with the front of the curtain facing down, on a flat surface (I chose to use a carpeted portion of the floor because it allowed me pin each corner to the carpet therefore preventing my project from moving). Next I measured along the sides of the curtain 20 inches from the top (This was her preferred valance length but you can customize the length to your preferences). I used a pin to mark the 20 inch point on both sides.
The ensure a straight seam I then ran a piece of the hem tape across from the pins I placed at the 20 inch marks. The tape is a continuous roll and easily cuts or tears so I suggest you carefully measure and cut the tape to the correct length, ensuring to keep it in one piece. My next step was to pin the tape in five places across the project. Depending on the width of your project you might want to use more or less pins. Next, I folded the edge of the curtain over this tape line. I carefully moved each of the pins one by one from the bottom layer with the tape to now go through the folded material the tape and the bottom layer of the curtain. Be careful to keep the tape in a straight line to ensure a straight hem edge.
Now that you have prepared your hem its time to "sew" it and create the hem. Run an iron over the seam in small sections. Each brand of tape has different directions for the iron settings and how long to hold it over a spot so be sure to follow your tape's individual directions. As you move from section to section carefully remove the pins. Once you have ironed along the entire edge you can also remove the pins you placed in the corners to hold the project in place. Now to finish the project carefully cut the excess material from the backside of the curtain along the newly crated seam.as seen in the photos below (p.s. don't mind my pjs). Your cuts should be pretty straight as they will be guided by the straight tape seam but if they aren't perfect don't worry they are at the back of the curtain and wont be seen once the curtains are hung. (On a side note if you are a perfectionist you could always fold your new seam over another piece of tape after cutting and iron to avoid an imperfect back seam). 
Your first valance is complete. Repeat the above process to create a second if your room calls for it. Since, I used a floor length curtain panel when I was done there was still a nice amount of material remaining. I used the left over hem tape and material to create curtain tiebacks for each of the panels. Another idea is to create a pillow case for a small throw pillow. The pillow can be added to a couch or bed to tie the curtains in to the rest of the room's decor. If you are really on a tight budget and can't afford new curtains but want to a different look you can apply this process to change your current curtains or to create curtains/valances from raw material. 
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