Protect Your Classroom: Sew a Classroom Safety Curtain in a Day!

In this video, I share how to make a simple, teacher-friendly curtain for a classroom window or door. I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step, from choosing the fabric to using Swedish tracing paper for pattern-making, and finally sewing everything together. One of my favorite parts of this project is adding a ribbon so you can easily roll the curtain up or let it down whenever you need to block or reveal the window. I also demonstrate using an automatic buttonhole feature on my sewing machine to finish the curtain with functional buttonholes. This DIY curtain is not only practical for classroom settings but also makes a thoughtful and personalized gift for teachers.

Pattern: Self-Drafted; Fabric: Quilting Cotton (Hobby Lobby), Trim (Hobby Lobby), Sew-In Interfacing (purchased at local store)

Transcript

Hi everyone! My name is Teria with Peace and Make, and today I’ll be making a teacher-friendly project. The project is a curtain to hang in front of a window or door. I’m using this fabric here, and I’ll be adding this ribbon to keep the curtain up. The ribbon can be released to let the curtain fall back down. The fabric will have an inner layer for added stability.

Now, I’m going to do a quick sketch. The curtain needs to be 7 inches wide and 34 inches long. At the top, I’ll add two buttonholes to hang hooks. The hooks will go through these buttonholes. This fabric is for the main part of the curtain, and I’ll be adding another piece of fabric in the center to prevent the layers from shifting. I’ll sew two lines down the middle, like a quilting technique, but not the usual diamond pattern. This curtain can also be rolled up, as you can see in the sketch. The ribbon will be used to tie it when rolled up.

Alright, hi again! As you can see, I’m recording this at a different time. I’ll be popping in occasionally to explain the steps and give some behind-the-scenes insight. When you see me looking away, that’s because I’m watching the video to explain it.

Before I got to this point, I ironed the fabric, but first, I pre-washed it. I always pre-wash my fabrics to prevent shrinking later on. Have you ever bought a shirt that shrinks after washing? The same thing can happen with fabric, so I make sure to wash it first. Now, I’m working with Swedish tracing paper to create a pattern for the curtain. This way, if I need to make another one in the future, I’ll have it saved. Some people use different types of paper for patterns, but I like Swedish tracing paper because it’s durable and won’t tear like tissue paper. Even when I use PDF patterns, I’ll trace them onto Swedish tracing paper because it’s easier to adjust and see through. You can also use craft paper or newspaper, but they don’t offer the same benefits as the Swedish tracing paper.

Now, I’m folding the fabric in preparation for cutting. Depending on how much fabric I need, I fold it accordingly. I’ll clear the table and lay out the pattern piece so I can start cutting it. I love this table—it’s height adjustable because I’m tall and most tables don’t go high enough for me. My husband and I built it ourselves, and I’ll be doing a future video showing how we made it.

Just popping in to show you that I’m pinning the pattern to the fabric. Sometimes I use pattern weights, but today I’m pinning it to prevent the fabric from shifting. I’ll be cutting with a rotary cutter, but I pin the fabric to keep everything in place. I’m so used to pinning because I prefer using scissors, but for straight lines like these, a rotary cutter is much faster. A quilter taught me this method, which is a real time-saver.

Now, I’m cutting out the two pieces of fabric for the front and back. This will be a pillowcase-style curtain, so I’ll turn it inside out at the end.

Now, I’m preparing the inner fabric to add stability to the curtain. Cotton alone needs a stabilizer, so I’ll use this fabric as an interfacing. I’m pinning the outer fabric to the inner layer before cutting it. [Music] Now, I’m cutting the inner piece. This will make the curtain have three layers—two outer pieces and one inner piece.

Now, for the fun part! I’m sewing the pieces together. I’m using ivory-colored thread for the outer layer and black thread for the inner layer. These are the two thread colors I use the most unless I need to match the fabric. It saves time and trips to the store! I’m sewing this curtain like a pillowcase, and I’ll turn it inside out at the end.

At this point, I’m adding a basting stitch down the middle. This is to prevent the fabric from shifting too much while I sew, as I’m not using any adhesive.

Just a quick note: I originally planned to add two horizontal lines, but I ended up doing one vertical line instead. It may have been easier to do two vertical lines, but the fabric shifted only a little, so it wasn’t a big issue.

I’m now sewing the pieces with right sides facing each other. Afterward, I’ll sew around all four sides, leaving a small opening on one side so I can turn it inside out. It’s similar to “birthing” a pillowcase.

I’ve sewn the four sides, and now I’m turning it inside out. I’ll use my fingers to push out the corners, then iron it to smooth everything out.

The curtain looks great now! Imagine this in front of a window. When you want to block the light, simply let it down. When you want to expose the window, roll it up and tie it with the ribbon. I’ll attach the ribbon to the inside, sew it down, and trim it.

Here’s the final look. The curtain is rolled up and tied, and when you want to cover the window, you just untie it and let it hang. The ribbon is attached to the inside, and the curtain is ready for use.

Now, I’ll sew the ribbon down and add the buttonholes.

Next, I’m going to mark the spots for the buttonholes. I’ve already marked one side, and now I’m marking the other side. I’m using the automatic buttonhole setting on my machine. First, I’ll do a test run on scrap fabric to make sure everything works.

The test looks great, so now I’ll do it on the fabric! Funny thing: I thought the buttonhole started at the top, but it actually starts at the bottom and goes up. I’ll mark the fabric accordingly.

The buttonholes look amazing! Now, I’ll trim them and carefully cut them open with a seam ripper. Be careful not to cut through the stitching.

I’ll add a hook to the buttonhole, and the curtain is complete!

I really hope you enjoyed this video/blog/tutorial of me creating this curtain for a classroom. I felt good making it because, at the beginning of the school year, there were school shootings in Georgia, and I’ve been praying for the families affected. This curtain may seem like a simple project, but it has a deeper significance for children’s safety.

If you want to make one yourself or for a teacher, this is a great project, especially with the holidays coming up. If you enjoyed the video, please like and subscribe. You can also follow me on Instagram!

Oh, and to all my new subscribers—hello! My last video performed really well, and I can’t believe it! If you haven’t seen it yet, check out my summer sewing lookbook. It shows all the things I made and wore during the summer. I’ll see you all next time. Bye!