How to Make Curtains for Cabinets

You may want to cover a cabinet with a curtain if the cabinet doesn’t have a door, if you want easier access to the cabinet, or if you just prefer the decorative look of curtains. Cabinet curtains are simple to sew, and you can make them from new fabric, or from leftover material, such as old flat sheets. You’ll need fabric that’s about twice as wide and a few inches longer than the cabinet opening to give the curtains a soft, gathered look. You’ll also need a tension rod, or push rod, to hang the curtains. These types of rods don’t require any extra hardware or installation, and are available in many fabric and home decor stores.

Measure the width of the cabinet opening where you want to hang the curtains. Purchase a tension rod that will fit the cabinet.

Measure the cabinet opening from top to bottom and side to side.

Cut a rectangle of fabric that’s twice as wide as the cabinet opening, and about 4 inches longer.

Hem the top and sides of the fabric using a 1/2-inch double fold. To make double fold hems, fold each edge over 1/2-inch toward the wrong side of the fabric, then fold it over 1/2-inch again. Press the folds flat and stitch them in place.

Fold the top edge of the fabric over about 2 inches toward the wrong side, so that the folded area is about 1 inch wider than the tension rod. Pin the fold in place, then stitch along the hemmed edge of the fold. This will the casing for the rod.

Slip the tension rod through the casing in the top of the curtain, and place the rod at the top of the cabinet opening. Check the length of the curtain to see how wide you need to make the hem.

Take the curtain off the rod and hem the lower edge of the curtain using a double fold. Make the folds narrower if you want the curtain to be longer, or wider if you want the curtain to be shorter.

Put the tension rod through the casing in the top of the curtain again, and hang the curtain in the cabinet opening.