Elegant, No-Sew, Roll Up, DIY Linen Window Shade

We have been traveling for almost four weeks now – first to Los Angeles for our daughter’s college graduation, and now in Greece. There’s been so much inspiration around me and I’ve been keeping notes with ideas, projects and recipes that I want to try, so hopefully there will plenty to share when I get back home. Before leaving our home in Houston, Texas, I took a few photos of my latest project and I’m finally finding the time (and a strong WI-FI connection!) to write about it.

The No-Sew, Double-Sided, Roll-Up, DIY Window Shade project that I came up for the laundry room about a year ago is the kind of do-it-yourself project that ticks all the boxes: it’s easy enough for anyone to make, very affordable, it doesn’t look DIY at all, and it can be applied to any home and most windows! ~ no wonder it’s been such a hit on Pinterest!

After all these months, I’m happy to report that it’s been holding up so well that it’s actually in perfect shape, like brand new!

As I was in need for some kind of window treatment for the kitchen back door, it made sense to make a similar one. This time I used a 100% linen textile which is light and airy and I paired it with a wide beige and white striped ribbon. I followed the exact same technique that I used for the laundry room window shade, and it worked just as well. What do you think?

The ribbon that keeps the shade rolled up is my favorite detail.

This window treatment consists literally of a fabric panel that I cut at the exact same width as the window area that needed to be covered. It is a few inches longer in height so that it can be rolled and glued around the curtain rod (on the top) and around a wooden dowel (on the bottom). All four borders of the panel are treated with an anti-fray product. The left and right sides of the fabric are covered top to bottom with wide ribbon (on the front and back) which is affixed with fabric glue. These side ribbons completely hide the fabric’s unfinished borders so there is absolutely no need for a hem. Last, two shorter ribbons – partly glued on the fabric – serve as tie-up ribbons to keep the shade up, when needed. I have step-by-step instructions on my original post, the link is here.

I usually keep the shade rolled up during the day to allow for natural light in the kitchen, but also because it looks cuter with the ribbons tied up.

In the evening, I unroll it for privacy.

In the photo below,  I have already glued the ribbon on the left back side of the fabric and I’m in the process of gluing the front side. It’s important to apply ribbon to the back of the curtain, as this will show when the shade is rolled up.

Here is a detail of the top, showing how the fabric is rolled and glued around the curtain rod. The fabric has to be wide enough to cover the window but not wider than the opening between the rod’s brackets.

A hidden dowel on the bottom part of the panel keeps the shade nicely rolled up.

In just about an hour, you can make a professional looking roll-up window shade that is not only stylish but relatively inexpensive and made with materials that are easy to find!

For the original shade I used a heavy upholstery textile that gave the impression of a double-sided pattern when the shade was rolled up. Here, the white linen works well, too, so you can use any type of fabric you like, provided that its back side also looks nice.

I really think that this is an elegant, quick and inexpensive solution ~ I can’t believe I would have liked anything better for this kitchen door.