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12 DIY Roman Shades You Can Make Today in 2025
Kristin Hitchcock
Last updated:
Roman shades can make a great window covering. You can purchase these shades from practically any home décor store, or you can make them yourself using a simple tutorial. Roman shades give you a classic look, but you can tailor DIY Roman shades to fit your space perfectly.
These projects are not hard, either. Therefore, even a beginner can make a working Roman shade without much effort. Even if you have never made a DIY project before, this is a great place to start.
We’ll look at a few of the best DIY plans for roman shades. Many of them are similar (they all make the same thing, after all). However, there are some slight differences between them.
This plan allows you to create a very similar roman shade out of whatever fabric you want. Therefore, you can customize it to fit your space. You can make the shade longer or shorter as necessary for your space. You’ll start by measuring your window and figuring out the exact number of dowels and fabric you’ll need. It may differ depending on the size of the window.
The instructions are very simple, and the plan includes pictures for each step. Therefore, the instructions are extremely easy to figure out. Even if you’ve never done a DIY plan before, this one is a great place to start.
Using this plan, you can turn your average shades into roman shades. You can use any upholstery material that you want to use, allowing you to personalize this shade to your needs. Therefore, this plan is great for those that want to personalize their roman shade to their existing room. The important part is that the upholstery is midweight, allowing it to be light enough for the shade.
The instructions are very straightforward and easy to use. Even if you’ve never done a DIY plan before, you can easily use this plan to personalize your interior a little bit.
2 yards décor fabric, four wooden dowels, 1 x 2 piece of wood, 2 brackets, screws for wall mounting, 2 eye screws, 8 small plastic shade rings
Tools:
Wood staple gun, sewing machine, needle and thread
Difficulty:
Medium
If you know how to sew, then we highly recommend this sewing roman shade plan. It’s pretty simple to follow, but it does require some previous knowledge about sewing. Therefore, we only recommend it to those with some sewing experience. Otherwise, it can be challenging to accomplish.
Like most plans, you can adjust the material utilized to match your needs. As long as the fabric is light enough, you shouldn’t have a problem using it for your roman shade.
You do need to adjust the plan to match the size of your window. If you have previous experience sewing, this shouldn’t be a problem, though.
2–3 yards of fabric, drapery rings, board for mounting, liner fabric, dowel
Tools:
Fabric shears, needle and thread, sewing machine, iron, staple gun
Difficulty:
Easy
This plan adds a few extra ruffles towards the bottom of the curtain, making it look extra-fancy. However, this does add a bit of work to the overall plan. Still, if you like the look of all the extra ruffles, then you’ll like this plan. We found the instructions very easy to follow, though you will need some sewing skills before you dive in.
The plan illustrates some of the different kinds of roman shades and walks you through how to create a relaxed roman shade. The instructions aren’t the best, though. There aren’t any numbered steps, though the pictures do provide some context.
If you’re looking for the easiest roman shade project, then we highly recommend this one. It requires very few supplies and less than an hour. Overall, it is the easiest roman shade to make, but it does leave a pretty big impact. You can use whatever fabric you want to match your home décor.
This straightforward roman shade is made very similarly to the other options on this list. However, it utilizes Velcro and some other materials that aren’t commonly utilized. You will need to sew to create the dowel pockets. You can use whatever fabric you want that matches your home’s style. This plan doesn’t specify any particular fabric, though it does help if it is on the nicer side.
These blinds aren’t technically real. However, they’re great if you just want the look of roman blinds—even if they aren’t useable. You can use them to spruce up just about any window. You can adjust the fabric to fit your needs. This is shade is pretty straightforward, as well. It requires fewer parts, as it doesn’t actually work.
Reversible roman blinds are a bit different from everything else on this list. This plan was made with the intention of being easy for beginner sewers. Therefore, it does help to have a little bit of a sewing background. However, even if you don’t, you can utilize this plan. Plus, it leaves you with a completely reversible shade, though it isn’t completely useable.
These roman shades are easy to sew according to the directions. However, they don’t have a liner. Therefore, you’ll have to avoid using them in a bedroom if you want them to block all the light. They work great for those looking for an aesthetic curtain that can be utilized for a little privacy.
Fabric glue, iron, glue gun, measuring instruments, no sew tape
Difficulty:
Easy
If you’re looking for something a bit different, consider these stripped roman shades. You’ll use regular fabric and ribbon to make an interesting curtain for you to use. You won’t need to sew, making this plan much easier than others. You’ll need to use a blind to create the roman shades, and you’ll need to take the blinds apart.
Fabric glue, iron, glue gun, measuring instruments, sew tape
Difficulty:
Easy
For those looking for a fairly easy roman shade plan, we recommend this one. It’s much simpler than other options out there, though it does require some previous sewing experience. If you’ve sewed before, then this plan may be a great option for you.
Conclusion
There are many different DIY plans for roman shades. Most roman shade plans require sewing, as you’ll need to make pockets for the dowels. However, some plans don’t require sewing and instead use iron-on hem tape. It all depends on how the plan is designed.
Either way, there are tons of different options to choose from. All can be customized by choosing the fabric that works best for you. However, some are more easily customized for your window size than others. If you have strangely-shaped windows, you’ll want a plan that can be adjusted.
Featured Image Credit: kunmom, Shutterstock
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Writer
Kristin Hitchcock
Kristin Hitchcock is passionate about an array of DIY topics - from blacksmithing to making children's toys. She understands the importance of choosing the right tool for the right job and enjoys informing others on the options currently available on the market. She is a stronger believer that you can do practically anything yourself with the right tools and knowledge.
Kristin Hitchcock
