From Mini Blinds to DIY Roman Shades: A Saga

When it came time to decide on window treatments for the kitchen windows, I had a vision in my mind; something not quite like curtains, but involving the texture and warmth of fabric. I started hunting for something that evoked the French country look that was the central theme for my kitchen ever since I had a kitchen. I thought Roman shades would work nicely, in a fresh country blue/white pattern. Finding blue and white striped Roman shades, however, proved to be quite difficult! And when I finally found the perfect shades in the right size....

*Sigh* That price. There was no way we could afford $200+ per kitchen window. Urrrgh, Pottery Barn! 

I had seen a tutorial on Pinterest how to make your own Roman shades out of mini blinds. For a long time I resisted the idea of another DIY project. I don't have the time! I'd rather be doing something else... But I could not get the thought out of my mind. How hard could it really be? But these shades seemed doomed from the very beginning, because I could not find the article anywhere. I decided to wing it. I can't resist a challenge. 

I went to Wal-Mart and bought a set of cheap, vinyl mini blinds, totaling $3.98. They failed me in the fabric department though, so I trolled the internet until I found the right fabric. A shop on Etsy had blue-striped grain sack fabric that fit the bill. A bit pricey compared to what I usually spend on fabric, but it wasn't $200, I reminded myself!  

When it came I got to work. I measured the window and cut out a length of fabric accordingly, with an extra 2 inches of length on the top and bottom, and an extra inch on each side. I then ironed the fabric and hemmed up each side.

After hanging the mini blinds, I decided to hot glue the fabric to the headrail of the blinds. This is where the winging it began, guys. I soon realized if these things were going to be functional I needed the pull cord of the blinds to be on the front side of the fabric. Unfortunately it was too late to take the fabric down and sew a button-hole for the cord, it was already glued up there real good. (My Dad always half joked when I was living at home that he would've been farther ahead to buy stock in 3M for all the tape and glue I used.)

So, I cut a hole, and had an epiphany. More glue! Instead of sewing the raw edges of the hole I hot-glued them, which also made the opening sturdier and protected the fabric from the sliding cord. Are you guys riveted in your seats now?

I should have foreseen the problem with my plan in the beginning, but I didn't, and so I began gluing--hot gluing--the fabric to the thin vinyl slats of the blinds. As you may have imagined, the vinyl warped, drooped, and buckled. Standing atop a ladder with hot glue oozing everywhere I had to quickly change gears and figure out Plan B. I decided to snap all the vinyl slats off and sew the fabric to the string system that controlled the slats. It was a guessing game where to sew to make the right sized folds when the blinds were raised.

I did a lot of "testing the folds" in between sewing to see if it would lay right when drawn.

After the sewing was finished, I removed the plastic cord pull and replaced it with a round wooden bead from my bead jar to complete the look. It was time for the final pull, and the moment of truth: 

I called it a success!

DIY SPECS: 

• A little less than 2 yards of grain sack fabric (rounded up to account for shipping): $26.00
• Vinyl mini blinds (rounded up): $4.00
• A little bit of hot glue and thread: 

TOTAL: $30.00
For a savings of at least $179.