Dress up any window in your home with this fabric covering.

When the shade is up, it creates pleats in the fabric.

Record the numbers as this will be the size of the finished shade.

Cream-colored DIY Roman shade covering partly opened window

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Pin along the sides to hold everything in place.

Sew the entire length, including on top of the folds.

Use 1/2-inch seam allowance.

Materials and tools to create DIY Roman shades

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

You’ll want to cut as many of these as you have dowel rods.

Fold the strips in half and press with your iron.

Sew the raw edges together using a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

Window measurements drawn on notepad next to materials

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Attach the Dowel Pockets

Slide the dowel rods through each of the pockets you created.

They should be 3 inches from each end.

The amount of fabric needed to make a Roman shade depends on the size of your window.

Black home decor fabric being cut for DIY Roman shades

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

White lining fabric sewn to black home decor fabric with sewing machine

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Iron pressing lining fabric on to center of home decor fabric

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Bottom folds of shade fabric sewn with sewing machine

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Dowel rods organized on shade fabric to be cut

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Dowel rod locations marked on wrong side of fabric next to ruler

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Sewing machine creating dowel pockets with strips of lining fabric

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Fusible web attaching dowel pockets to shade fabric

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Fabric shade corners clipped with scissors

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Blind hem sewn on bottom fold of shade with sewing machine

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Wood slat inserted into top slot of shade

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Plastic rings sewn on ends of dowel rod

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Eye screws attached to ends of wood slats

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Nylon string threaded through eye screws and rings to finish Roman shade

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald