Let’s see, the curtains went up in the breakfast area of the kitchen back in February. It’s May and I’m just getting around to finally hemming them.
I decided on the light gray linen AINA curtains from Ikea. The curtains come at a 98 inch length and even though I hung them high, they still created quite the ‘puddle’ on the kitchen floor. Not that I mind puddling, (I have silk curtains that puddle elsewhere in our house) but in the breakfast area, it wasn’t the look I wasn’t going for. It also didn’t seem practical for a kitchen. So, I knew that I had to hem them.
I delayed and delayed because I figured I should wash them first to make sure I accounted for shrinkage before cutting. And I knew: washing 4 linen panels = A LOT OF IRONING. So almost 3 months later, I finally tackled them. Of course, throwing them in the washer (warm/delicate cycle) and dryer was the easy part.
Then came the ironing. Ironing basically took 3 hours.
After I ironed, I measured the length again and saw that the shrinkage was not as bad as I thought. The curtains were still 97 inches long. I hung them back up at the window to determine the length I wanted and marked the spot to cut. I ended up cutting off 5 inches and then folding over the cut edge and using the iron hem tape that comes with IKEA curtains. No sewing involved!
The total length is now 90 inches and they barely skim the floor which is just what I wanted.
I’m glad that’s done! Have you hemmed your own curtains? Do you like the puddled look?
-J
Yay!! I have been looking forward. To thia update!
although i like the puddle look too, i like it where it works. good choice for the dining room. really like the look your curtains make. (classy)