Easy DIY Vintage Linen Cafe Curtains
Rediscover the beauty of cherished vintage linens and turn them into charming cafe-style curtains that showcase their history and handmade detail. With just a few simple supplies and a little sewing (or even no-sew!) you can give these fabrics new life and add unique character to your windows and your home.
Over the years I’ve found lots of vintage linens I loved in thrift stores: pillowcases, small tablecloths, napkins, and doilies.
Most of the time I had no idea how I would use them but they were so beautiful that I couldn’t bear to see these handmade creations moldering in a pile of junk. I knew from experience how long embroidery took, but drawn-thread work like some of the intricate pieces? I can’t imagine.
Which leads me to the second reason I like buying linens (and other things) at thrift stores (just slightly below the savings factor) :
It honors, in a way, the time, love, and talent that went into handmade (or even quality made manufactured) vintage items from days when everything wasn’t outsourced to China.
One of the ways I’ve found to use some of these vintage linens is to make simple cafe curtains. It’s a way we can transform these treasures into something functional that also allows you to enjoy their beauty and uniqueness on a daily basis.
Vintage Linen Cafe Curtains
The remodeled main bath.
The remodeled master bath.
When we remodeled our bathrooms, we replaced the dated, foggy windows with clear single-hung versions since we wanted to maximize the natural light in the rooms. Cafe curtains were an easy solution for both bathroom windows ā they provide privacy, but still let in light above the curtain.
I just love how they turned out – and how easy they were to make!
How To Make Cafe Curtains with Vintage Linens
With nothing but a single line of straight-stitching, I was able to use two pieces of vintage linen ā one a pulled-thread cotton and the other a hemstitched pure linen ā to create one-of-a-kind cafe curtains.
Supplies
- Vintage tea towel, small tablecloth, runners, napkins, etc.
- Tape measure
- Sewing machine, or needle and thread for hand sewing, or fabric glue.
- Small tension rod (for inside window placement) or cafe curtain rod-and-holder set (for outside placement)
Directions
- Measure your window. The width is the most important part, but youāll also want to know how much length youāll want from your rod to the window sill.
- Choose a vintage linen piece that fits your measurements. For the simplest curtains, choose pieces that fit perfectly the width and have only enough over-hang to create a self-valance for the height (as pictured above).
- Measure your rod width to know how wide to make the pocket for the rod on the curtain (1-inch will usually cover most cafe-sized rods for smaller windows).
- Make the rod pocket. There are two ways you can choose: a) Simply fold over the end of the linen piece, and mark where your pocket seam should be to create a pocket the width you need (based on your rod measurements). Sew a loose (set the machine stitch to 3.5 or by hand or fabric glue) seam straight across at the mark. OR b) Cut the linen, leaving enough to make your pocket and fold a raw edge under ā sewing or gluing as above.
- Hang your curtain.
I chose to simply fold over the linens for both our curtains not only because it was simple, but also because I didnāt want to cut into the linens. This way, if I want to do something else with them, I can simply use a seam ripper to remove the stitching, wash and iron them and they will be back to their original state.
However, what if you have a wonderfully embroidered tablecloth youād like to use, but the decoration is only in a corner and itās way too long? This is a case where youād want to cut and add a side-hem as well as a rod-pocket.
I just love how these turned out and that I was able to use these unique pieces. It’s easy to do and takes relatively no sewing so you, too, can liberate any sweet, old linens you may have to live again as curtains.
Commenting kinda late on the topic, but I have the same “no cut” urge and a slightly different way to solve it. What I did was use the tension rod method. I folded over just enough of the linen to create a “rod pocket,” ironed it so it lay even and flat. I then used a one loop vintage button to tack the pocket down at each upper corner–and add a cool decorative touch–to hold the “pocket” in place. I tacked on two more of the vintage buttons in each of the lower corners of the piece of linen. So now I had essentially a piece of linen hanging to cover the entire window, decoratively embellished in each corner with vintage buttons. To adjust for light, I took a piece of pretty vintage ribbon which, when folded in half, was as long as the curtain. I folded the end of the folded ribbon over the back of the tension rod/top of the linen to hang about a third of the way down the back. In the morning, I tuck the ends of the ribbon through the loop–gathering the linen up as I go–and tie a loose bow as high as I feel like the day deserves. Because it’s a fairly stiff piece of cloth (similar to the pulled thread piece in your tutorial), it gathers in perfect pleats and the four buttons at each corner still show up beautifully. No sewing (other than decorative buttons easily removed), easy to adjust for light, looks adorable.
That’s a great idea, Mary – if you see in my photos and the article, that’s exactly what I did (not sure why some think I cut the linens…I mentioned you could, not that I did…), except I sewed the rod pocket with a large stitch that will be easy to remove later if I want. Thanks for the comment!
Yes, I knew that you didn’t cut. I’m one of those people who can’t even sew a large stitch but can sew on a button, so I just wanted to toss one more option out there.
What a fabulous idea! I have linens that my 87-year old mom completed in boarding school in France. Love, love, love this idea! Thanks!
Now I must confess I have suitcases and draws full of old linens and now I have just stop myself looking or buying them. I especially love handmade aprons which have been lovingly made and worn over the years…………..the stories these could tell !
I recently cut up a tablecloth (it had a small hole) to make some bunting…… I’m heading over to look at your tutorial. Thanks for sharing.
I am forever rescuing linens. Most, I use according to their original design. All our napkins are vintage embroidered napkins. It’s what we use for all meals and yes, I have little kids. I love tea towels for towels and lining baskets and draping all over. Vintage hankies are used by us all as well. So much nicer on little stuffy noses and tucked in a purse. I can rarely cut up and repurpose linens, but I am off to read your tutorial. I need to do something for my little girl’s room soon.
I hope you get a chance to read the tutorial, Kimberly, because for the curtains I made for our bathrooms I didn’t cut the linens and they have a large stitch that will be easy to remove in the future. I, too, have a hard time cutting things unless they are stained and torn beyond repair. š
I have found some really nice vintage linens at Estate Sales too. I recently saw a pinterest pin about using tea towels to make a tablecloth. I may try this project with some vintage ones. I think it would look great. Curtains are another option I had not thought of.