Looking for a unicorn... need an odd length curtain for a patio door

[Dee*Jay]

I am hanging a curtain in the boathouse on the patio door (two actually, a heavy lined curtain and a sheer) and am at wits end trying to find one the right length, 90". The obvious answer is to get a 96" and have it hemmed, and I have a 96" in hand, but when I went to the upholsterer yesterday she was SUCH a PITA that I'm trying one last ditch effort to see if anyone has any resources for this unicorn. I did find a couple of options on the internet that will make it, but for something like this I would really like to see the fabric and the quality of work before committing to spending a small fortune. Plus, the lead times are just short of one day before armageddon. Of course I could also have one made from scratch locally, but by the time the upholsterer got done telling me what a moron I am for the way in which I described how I had measured I'd pretty much given up on that idea.

Any ideas at all will be much appreciated!

 

[Missy]

Dee- This is the dilemma we had. We needed curtains of a certain length at our beach house for the living room and bedroom that was not a standard length. We bought beautiful curtains for such an inexpensive price at IKEA. Sheer and not sheer (don't know the technical name for it) curtains that were much longer and Greg hemmed them to the exact length we needed.

And it was easy (according to him and he is not an expert in sewing). He used a sewing machine so perhaps you can find a local friend with a sewing machine or bring it to another seamstress and see if it would be an easier process with that person. I am telling you it took him less than 30 minutes to do 2 huge rooms of curtains. Which includes our French backyard doors in the living room and our sliding terrace doors in the bedroom plus lots of windows with weird dimensions.

It looks super pretty and you could never tell it was not exactly the right length when we bought them. Or you can bring them here when you visit and I'll ask Greg to do you a solid.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Missy, please ask Greg to get that sewing machine set up!

The curtains are a bit complicated because they are pinch pleat and also lined (for insulation purposes because it will help with the heat in the summer and cold in the winter). I am going to hang the up again this weekend and see if I can measure the way the upholster wants. But honestly, once I get them up there, I'm tempted to take some double sided carpet tape to them and call it a day! Kidding of course.. but don't think I haven't considered it!

 

[partgypsy]

When I needed to have some curtains hemmed, I took them to the local laundrymat which has hemming services, and they did a fine job. Granted, they were not pinch pleated, but it wouldn't hurt to ask the local laundrymat/seamstress to ask if they felt they could handle it. I believe country curtains does custom lengths, but may not have the style you are looking for.

 

[PintoBean]

Have you tried overstock dot com?
https://www.overstock.com/Home-Gard...efccid=26XCJ4XWBDMLSO2OJKSFTLADTY&searchidx=3

 

[t-c]

@Dee*Jay https://www.theshadestore.com/ will allow you to customize shades and curtains to your specifications for no extra charge. That's their business model. They're (slightly) more expensive than standard, but cheaper than total custom.

http://www.smithandnoble.com/ is another place. I remember ordering from them when I was in high school and I wanted different window treatments and my mother didn't agree.

They both send swatches for free very quickly.

 

[PintoBean]

If you go custom you can try going through costco.

 

[Calliecake]

I had two great contacts for custom curtain makers about 10 years ago and both places went out of business about 7 years ago. A custom curtain maker may agree to hem them for you. There has to be someone in the city.

Another thought maybe ask a few dry cleaners. They usually have tailors. Maybe they could help??? Joann Fabric may know of people who could do this job. They sell decorative fabric for curtain and pillows. I'm just throwing everything out there I can think of Dee.

 

[Missy]

If you go custom you can try going through costco.

Or go through gregyouareasaint.com always on call and always willing to help a friend in need...

 

[Missy]

I had two great contacts for custom curtain makers about 10 years ago and both places went out of business about 7 years ago. A custom curtain maker may agree to hem them for you. There has to be someone in the city.

Another thought maybe ask a few dry cleaners. They usually have tailors. Maybe they could help??? Joann Fabric may know of people who could do this job. They sell decorative fabric for curtain and pillows. I'm just throwing everything out there I can think of Dee.

Yes this is true. All the dry cleaners near us have tailors. They are usually pretty skilled too.

 

[rainydaze]

Shouldn't the upholsterer come out and measure herself? She is the professional with the knowledge and skills, why would she rely on a customer to measure when she has no idea what or how they are coming up with the number. All of her work could be useless if the measurements are not accurate? I mean, tailors measure right on the customers before they make alterations, this should be no different except that she has to go to you, you can't bring your house to her.

 

[telephone89]

But honestly, once I get them up there, I'm tempted to take some double sided carpet tape to them and call it a day! Kidding of course.. but don't think I haven't considered it!

Actually, for our 'heavy' curtains in windy areas (which I assume a boat house is?) we would do this! Fold up the bottoms, and you can put little weights in there to keep the curtains from flying all over the place haha. We didn't use carpet tape, but totally the same idea.

 

[AdaBeta27]

Get a box of straight pins. Hang the curtains. Turn the hem up so that it's as short as you want it. Pin it in place. Then take the curtains down and go to the seamstress who will be hemming them. She can take an average, or minimum, or maximum, as you desire, from the range of hem you've pinned up and shorten the curtains by that amount. If the fabric is the sort that a line of stitching won't show on, she wouldn't even have to use a blind stitch; a straight stitch would do. If straight stitch could be used, and you want a little extra weight at the bottom, she could just even up the amount of hem you turned up and stitch through all layers including the lining, and it that is fast and easy to do.

 

[luv2sparkle]

We had the same dilemma. I just had them custom made. I am ready to get rid of them though and replace the window with the kind that can frost at the touch of a button.

 

[Karl_K]

craigslist is in some areas a good place to find someone to do this kind of work.

 

[Octo2005]

I can't sew to save my life, but I have hemmed things with witch stitch. It was very simple to pin to the desired length and then iron. It might be a great option if the curtains have a liner - just fold them so that both "hems" are on the inside (Front fabric folded back and liner folded forward) and all of the messy parts are covered.

Best of luck!

Luv2sparkle: Where did you find this magic glass? I am intrigued.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Apologies for going MIA here! I just got wifi at the boathouse this weekend and even then didn’t get a chance to properly reply…

The boathouse is in a resort town two states away and getting anything done over there is like pulling teeth. So in a perfect universe – or in Chicago! – I’m sure I could get an upholsterer out to the house to measure, but over there… not so much… I have used tailors at various dry cleaners over the years with mixed results so I hesitate to go that route, especially since the last two pairs of pants I’ve had hemmed, at two different places, both (a) looked bad) and (b) started coming apart within a few washings. The Craiglist concept is a good one though and I’m tucking that in my back pocket!

Good idea about the weights because the sliding glass door, where these curtains will be, opens directly out to the boat slip and the harbor beyond so it is indeed pretty windy.

I think those of you who suggested I tuck up the bottom to the right length and see if I can hem it myself are onto something. Since there is a lining, and that is what I would sew the tucked up bottom onto, it’s not like my stitching would be visible on the front of the curtain. I’ve ordered a bunch of hooks so I can hang it up properly and give it a go. Hopefully they will come by next weekend when I head over there.

Custom is an option, but I’ll save that as a last resort. And I did just order some 90” curtains off of Overstock thanks to PintoBean sending me some choices and those might miraculously work out too. Fingers crossed! BUT, they are only half as wide as I need so I have to use two panels, which I was trying to avoid. Really though the only time that would be noticeable is when the curtains are closed, and I don’t think they will be closed when we are there, only when we leave to keep the sun out so it’s cooler in there (or warmer in the winter).

Thanks again to every for the responses and ideas!