Step 2: Making the curtain panels

glossary

Getting Ready

Prepare the ironing surface. Use either an ironing board or a well-protected large flat surface that will not be damaged by heat and steam. Be sure the surface is protected by a pad.

Turn on your iron. Be sure to set your iron to the correct temperature for the fabric. If your sheet is cotton, use the cotton setting. The polyester setting is too cool for cotton while the cotton setting is too hot for polyester.

The No-Sew Seam Tape has a protective paper tape. This allows you to iron the tape into perfect 1/2" seams. As long as the paper covers the No-Sew Seam tape it cannot hurt your iron or ironing board. Do not remove the paper tape until instructed to. Take a look at the No-Sew Seam tape now.

Press the sheets smooth before you start and place wrong side up on the ironing surface.

Fold the sheet and panels neatly, exposing the cut edges about 6". This will make it easier to control the large amount of fabric and handle as you move the fabric over the ironing surface.

If adhesive sticks to iron: Let cool. Use Goo Gone® (available in most hardware stores). Just saturate a paper towel with Goo Gone® and place on protected surface (aluminum foil on counter is just fine). Rest cool iron, plate down, on paper towel. Let sit for a couple of hours. Use an old toothbrush with Goo Gone® to remove any remaining traces of adhesive.

First Step to Make a Bonded Seam

Start with the fabric wrong side up.

Pin down an end of the No-Sew Seam Tape with the paper side up/adhesive side down on the wrong side of the fabric and gently press it along the edge. Don't pre-cut the tape. It's much easier to unspool it as you go along the edge. Cut the tape at the end.

No- If you're right-handed, pin down the right-most edge of the sheet and unspool the Sew Seam tape with your left hand. You'll have better control of the iron. Reverse this for left-handed unspooling.

Gently fold over the No-Sew Seam Tape. Lightly press to crease. Remove the paper tape and press again. The first half of the seam is done. That wasn't hard, was it?

Step Two to Make a Bonded Seam

The fabric is still wrong side up.

Now, pin down an end of a second strip of No-Sew Tape on top of the turnover you just made. Press lightly to crease.

Remove the paper.

Take the panel (wrong side up) that you want to bond to the one you have prepared. Overlap the cut edge of the side panel so that it exactly covers the tape (seam) of the center panel. Pin the fabric in place.

Now bond the sheets together. This time go slow. Use lots of steam and heat. Don't worry: You can't over-bond the fabric. Move the iron slowly and steadily without missing any spots when you pull more fabric forward. Overlap your ironing motion to make sure that entire seam is properly bonded.

That's it! You've just made a perfect seam! A snap!

Finish the Vertical Edges

Fabric is right side up.

• Pin down an end of the No-Sew tape with the paper side up/adhesive down on the right side of the fabric and press gently. Don't pre-cut the tape. It's much easier to unspool it as you go along the edge. Cut the tape at the end.
  
  
• Turn fabric over to the wrong side. Fold back the 1/2" taped edge and press lightly to crease. You can pin this turnback if you need to.
  
  
• Remove paper and fold over again so the tape is completely covered. Pin to hold in place. Press again firmly to make a crisp edge.

Go to Step 3