Rolling Window Shade Tutorial

Enjoy!

Items Needed:

a few clamps (clothespins and balloon weights work well)

card stock of your color choice

patterned paper of your choice

a small dowel

a toothpick

tacky glue

craft glue stick

scissors

straight cutter (or something to ensure you get a straight cut)

embroidery thread

Step 1:

Measure your window from outer edge of frame to outer edge of frame. Cut your dowel to this length. If your window is bigger than the length of a toothpick, substitute a smaller diameter dowel, of an appropriate length.

Step 2:

Decide if you want your shade all the way down or how partially down you would like it. From here on, I will have a partially down window shade. You will need to cut a piece of the card stock that is just (1/8"-1/4") narrower on each side of the dowel.

Example: If your dowel is 3" then cut your paper between 2 1/2"-2 3/4" wide.

I cut my paper 2 1/2" x 3" for this tutorial.

Step 3:

Dry roll the paper around the dowel to give a started curve. This makes it much easier, I promise! Run some tacky glue and smooth it out down your pre-rolled curve. Wrap this around the dowel and hold firmly. Use a toothpick to put a bit of glue on the top back edge of the paper. Roll it a little bit more and then clamp.

Step 4:

While that is drying, cut your second paper or fabric to size matching the length of unrolled paper. You can go from edge to edge or you can leave a sliver on each side of the secondary fabric to show the card stock ( I prefer this look.)

Step 5:

Un-clamp the rolled part and use the Craft Glue stick (I use an Elmer's one. The tube is orange and you can find it at Walmart in the scrap booking aisle) to apply glue on the flat part of the paper (what will be the shade). Glue down your secondary paper/fabric.

Step 6:

At the bottom of the shade, glue the toothpick or smaller dowel using a thin strip of tacky glue. Wait for this to dry.

*** You can choose to leave it this way OR you can roll it up, glue and clamp OR you can skip this and use the next step.

Alternative Step 6:

Cut a small strip of paper same width as the shade but maybe only 1/2" tall. Glue the toothpick or small dowel to the bottom and roll up, (same as the beginning steps of the shade) leaving some paper exposed for the next step.

Step 7:

Use tacky glue to attach the strip of paper to the back of the shade, making sure that the edge of the shade is pushed up slightly under the paper rolled toothpick.

Step 8:

Tie a small slip knot in on the end of the thread. Cut off the excess length from one end of the knot. On the other end, cut about 1" or so. Put some glue on the long end and then attach to the back of the shade, creating a pull down string.

Ta-da! A pull down shade. :)