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How to use Eyelet Header Tape

Eyelet Curtain Heading Tape Installed

Learn how to make use eyelet header tape to make your own eyelet curtains.

Making eyelet curtains is easy using our simple eyelet header tape! Let our talented maker Madeleine guide you through how to do it in this step by step tutorial. You can buy our eyelet header tape here. Our eyelet curtain tape comes ready to use, and you can choose the eyelet ring colour to best suit your curtain fabric.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Sewing Machine (or hand stitch)
  • Eyelet curtain tape
  • Eyelet curtain rings
  • Scissors
  • Furnishing fabric
  • Zipper foot
  • Thread
  • An iron

1

Choose your fabric

We have chosen this lovely fabric with a large-scale design of birch trees.

Eyelet curtains are particularly good for showing off a bold design of curtain fabric; with eyelet curtains, the fabric is gathered quite loosely and gently compared to pencil pleat curtains.

2

Iron the top hem

Fold a single 1cm hem at the top of your curtain fabric, and press it flat with an iron. if you have a directional design like ours, check that you’re making this hem at the top!

3

Place Eyelet Tape

Place your eyelet tape along the ironed-down hem, leaving tape without eyelets at each end to allow you to turn the side seams.

The tape needs to sit snuggly right at the top of your fabric, over your ironed down hem.

4

Sew the top of the tape

Now sew the eyelet tape in place at the top of the curtain – only sew the top line of the tape at this point..

We suggest using a zipper foot so your foot does not hit against the eyelet rings.

5

Marking the eyelets

With the tape secure, we now we need to mark the circle inside each eyelet.

Working on the wrong side of the fabric, mark the circle inside each of the eyelet rings, being careful not to pull the fabric out of shape as you do so.

6

Cut the eyelet holes

To make the eyelet openings, work from the back of the fabric. Fold the eyelet tape out of the way so that you can see the circles you have drawn.

Using small, sharp scissors, cut away the circles on your curtain fabric. Nice neat circles will give you the tidiest result, so if any of your circles don’t look round, replace the eyelet tape and draw again before you cut.

7

Pin lining in place (optional)

You don’t have to line your curtains but it does give them more weight and body for a more luxurious look and feel. if you’re not using a line, skip straight to step 9.

If you are using lining, tuck the top edge of the lining under the unsewn lower edge of the just under the tape, just under the rings and pin in place.

8

Stitch lining

Machine sew the lining in place along the bottom line of the eyelet tape. Use a zipper foot and be careful not to clip the bottom of the rings as you sew.

Stitch the bottom hem of the lining, making sure the finished length will be 2.5 cm shorter than the finished drop of your show fabric.

9

Insert Eyelet rings

The eyelet rings give the finishing touch to your curtains, and also tidy up the edges of the holes you have just cut.

These are so simple to fit – working from the right side, just push the eyelet rings into the holes of the tape until they click into place.

10

Finish sides

Machine stitch the side seams of the header tape only; For a professional finish, hand stitch the sides; hand finishing means no ugly stitch line will show on the front.

press the seam allowance of the show fabric and the lining, and pin together, making sure the lining fabric is 2.5cm narrower than the show fabric on each side. Hand stitch the lining to the show fabric down each side.

11

Finish your eyelet curtains

Finally, turn up the bottom hem; again, we have hand finished this hem so that no stitching show on the front.

Press down the hem on the show fabric and hand stitch in place. Press down the hem on the lining, making sure it is 2.5 cm above show fabric, and hand stitch in place.

Your new eyelet curtains are ready to hang!

We post updates on our Facebook and Instagram for updates about what’s going on at Livingstones. We post about new stock, sales and more! Click for more information about making curtains, including our measuring guide and information about this and other header styles.

2 Comments

  1. Solveig Solomons

    I need to convert my daughters curtains to eyelet tape. Will the rings fit through both faux suede material and lining?

    Reply
    • ltextiles

      Hi, it does give a great finish! As in our tutorial we would recommend only trapping the main show fabric into the rings, and taking the lining to just above the bottom row of stitching. The raw edge of lining is then trapped inside the tape. Faux suede material should be fine so long as it is not too thick (heavy fabrics like chenilles and upholstery weight cloth put too much weight on the rings).

      Reply

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