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Drop cloth curtains are a beautiful way to add a little farmhouse charm to your home. The canvas material is a neutral tone, complementing any colors you have in your home. If you want to add even more farmhouse charm, check out these neutral farmhouse chic paint colors. They are the perfect starting point for creating a beautiful room.
We all know I am a fan of Pinterest. I say it in just about every post I publish. But I have a good reason to love it. Let me explain. Like most other people, I sometimes need inspiration. No, I do not have all the ideas all the time. It’s shocking, right? Well, Pinterest is my go-to when I need a little something more. I can always find so many inspiring pictures, take those, and use them to create my own vision.
Yes, drop cloth curtains. You’ve seen and know them, and I bet you love them too! At first, it may seem a little bizarre. Why use drop clothes when you can easily run to Target and buy a pair of normal curtains?
How TO Create the Perfect No-Sew Drop Cloth Curtains
Find the right Drop Cloth
As mentioned, I purchased these Painter’s Pride drop cloths from my local Lowes. I went with the 8 ounce, 6×9. I’m unsure if they are 100% cotton; the packaging says “Material – Canvas.” Bleaching wasn’t my plan, so the material wasn’t a concern for me.
An important thing to note about this particular brand, “Painter’s Pride” from Lowes, is that there is a seam running either horizontally or vertically. I experienced both.
The first two Painter’s Pride drop cloths I purchased to make DIY drop cloth curtains for my dining room both had vertical seams. However, I purchased the 10oz style drop cloths, so maybe that had something to do with the fact they were vertical seams. When I returned to Lowes (about a week later), I purchased four of the 8oz styles for my living room, and these four had horizontal seams.
I like how the seam looks; it adds a little character. However, I was lucky that the seams all matched the rooms for which I was creating the drop cloth curtains. If the seams are a deal breaker for you, try these drop cloths; they are seamless.
Decide on a Drop Cloth Curtain Style
Since my sewing skills are not the best AWFUL, deciding on the style I wanted for my drop cloth curtains was an extremely easy choice. Obviously, it had to be NO-SEW folded pleated style. Remember #teamnosew
I went straight to Amazon to order these black curtain clip rings. I went with the 1 inch black clips because they have the farmhouse look I adore. Another reason I chose these rings was because my existing curtain rods are a dark grayish, almost black. It was the best fit.
Wash the Drop Cloth
First things first. Wash the drop cloths! They stink when you first open the package, so a good washing with a pleasantly scented laundry detergent like this one will work wonders for the stinky drop cloths. I washed, dried, and immediately removed them so they wouldn’t be too wrinkled. Though little wrinkles never hurt anyone.
Ironing my drop cloths wasn’t an option for me. I hate ironing. I don’t even iron my clothes, so I’m not ironing these bad boys. But if you are bothered by wrinkles, iron, steam, or try some wrinkle spray like this one I bought once the curtains are hung.
Creating the no-sew Drop Cloth Curtain
Creating the actual curtain was the easiest part of this entire process. All you need is a tape measure, and you are ready to create.
I started by measuring the length I wanted my curtains to be. This determined the length of the fold at the top. My fold came about 16 inches.
I laid my drop cloth out with my 16-fold. From there, I found the center and pinched my first pleat. I didn’t measure this part I just eyeballed each pinch.
Measuring from the center pleat to the edge of the drop cloth, I divided that number by 4 (for the four rings I had for that side). That gave me the distance between each pleat. I continued pleating the rest of the drop cloth until it was complete.
Why I Love No Sew Drop Cloth Curtains
Firstly, it’s the look.
I love the expensive look these no-sew drop cloth curtains emit; I’d describe it as rustic elegance. The canvas fabric is relatively thick and heavy, making it perfect for curtains. The weight of the drop cloth allows them to hang beautifully, and the thickness lets them hold their shape well. They also work amazingly to achieve the gorgeous puddled look when they are slightly too long.
Secondly, they have a farmhouse look.
Tieing into why I love the look, these no-sew drop cloth curtains scream farmhouse chic. (Yes, I love the farmhouse look) When I think of the farmhouse style, I picture clean, crisp neutrals, and that’s precisely what drop cloth curtains are.
Thirdly, they are affordable.
The price is comparable to ready-made curtains like these from Amazon.
I picked up a 6×9 dropcloth from Lowes for $11.48, and if you use your Lowes credit card, you get an extra 5% off! So, for a pair of curtains, it will cost you roughly $22, which is not such a bad deal, in my opinion.
Fourthly, they are such an easy DIY
If you are anything like me and cannot sew a lick, my friends, I have good news: this is your type of project! From DIY beginners to experts, all can easily make these easy no-sew drop cloth curtains.
Finally, they can be customized.
Depending on the look you are aiming for, no-sew drop cloth curtains are easily achieved. Since Lowes carries drop clothes in various sizes, the size of the window you are dressing isn’t an issue. When I was at my local Lowes picking up the size I needed, they had 6×9, 9×12, and 12×15 in stock. You can also cut them to the size you need.
Additionally, these DIY drop cloth curtains can be hung in multiple ways. Use clips like these from Amazon to achieve the folded, pleated look. This is more similar to the Farmhouse style, and they require no sewing whatsoever. It’s my favorite. #teamnosew
Let me also note that not all pleats are created equal. There are a few different types: the box pleat, pinch pleat, tailored pleat, and goblet. This is a great source for curtain pleating.
From there a little more work is required aka sewing. To hang them like traditional curtains, sew a pocket at the top and slide them on your curtain rods. Can’t sew? Try fabric fusing hem tape. I personally never used this tape, but I’ve heard glowing reviews of it, and I’m sure I’ll be using it for future projects.
If you don’t love the canvas color, drop cloths can, in fact, be bleached. A few things to remember here, though.
First and foremost, do your research! Find a great tutorial you can follow along with. Bleach is pretty powerful stuff, but it is certainly not something you want to really mess around with.
Next, not all drop cloths are 100% cotton. This means a drop cloth with a 50/50 blend of polyester and cotton is unbleachable, with polyester being the unbleachable component. Cotton is bleachable, so if you know you want to bleach the drop cloths, look for ones like these from Amazon that are 100% cotton.
Final Thoughts – No-Sew DIY Drop Clothes
These EASY NO SEW drop cloth curtains are such a simple project to complete. I was able to complete four in about a half-hour. I love easy DIYs that pack a massive punch with a limited amount of effort!
If you want to add a little farmhouse charm to your home, try making these drop-cloth curtains. Not only are they super simple to create, but they are also budget-friendly and beautiful to boot!
Check out some more easy DIY projects:
- Easy Coffee Filter Flowers
- DIY Planked Shiplap Wall
- Festive DIY Heart Garland
- Easy DIY Oversized Wall Clock
- DIY Shiplap
Not a DIY Conussuier?
Check out some of the affordable curtain options from Amazon.
Target also carries beautiful curtain options.
Another fantastic place to score amazing curtains is Wayfair.
Let your no-sew dropcloth curtains shine with the perfect paint color!
- A Truly Amazing Shade of White
- The Most Versatile Gray Paint Color
- Repose Gray – It’s a Favorite
- Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige
- Peppercorn- SW
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
I’m Cate. As a seasoned paint color consultant and former proprietor of the highly regarded painting company WOW 1 Day Painting in Bergen County, my journey in the world of design and home improvement has been a colorful one, quite literally. Nestled in the scenic landscapes of Northern New Jersey, I’ve cultivated a passion for transforming spaces through the power of paint, furniture restoration, and thoughtful home decor.
Theresa
Thursday 7th of November 2024
I use drop cloths for my buffet tables! They look like linen and if there’s a red wine spill, they were budget friendly and I can repurpose it for an actual paint project!
Cate Griffing
Thursday 7th of November 2024
Theresa, that is a genius idea! I'm totally stealing the idea. Thank you for sharing!!
shutters Wellington
Saturday 27th of March 2021
I really appreciate you for publishing this blog here about no sew drop cloth curtains; it’s really a helpful and very useful for us. This is really appreciated that you have presented this data over here, I love all the information shared. Great article!
Sarah
Sunday 8th of November 2020
nice
Caroline Miller
Thursday 9th of January 2020
I love drop cloth curtains! Your blog is awesome!I hope you continue with such quality articles to share with everyone
Emily
Wednesday 27th of February 2019
Cate, these curtains look amazing! Don’t you just love drop cloths!! ~Emily