BLIND SAFETY
Blind Safety

This website is viewed globally and at the last time of looking had been used by people from 136 different countries.

The instructions and videos on this website show you the traditional methods of making a roman blind. Many countries have introduced safety regulations with respect to child safety, to reduce the threat of injury or strangulation to young children from the cords of roman blinds.

It is your responsibilty to find out what the regulations are for your country and modify these instructions to make your blind compliant with those regulations

Examples of safety advice and rules used by some countries of the world are:

  • Do not place furniture or beds near windows where children can climb up and access the blind cords.
  • For roman blinds with rod pockets greater than 20cms apart at any point a breakaway device must be used on each cord.
  • The cleat must be 150cms from the floor and accumulate all/most of the cord – only a single cord of no more than 20cms can hang below the cleat.
  • The bottom loop of the chain or cord must be 150cms from the floor and secured with a safety device OR If the operating chain/cord has a breakaway device then the bottom loop of the cord/chain can be 60cms from the floor.
  • Some countries require that all the blind's components have been tested and certified when used together.

BLIND SAFETY
Blind Safety

This website is viewed globally and at the last time of looking had been used by people from 136 different countries.

The instructions and videos on this website show you the traditional methods of making a roman blind. Many countries have introduced safety regulations with respect to child safety, to reduce the threat of injury or strangulation to young children from the cords of roman blinds.

It is your responsibilty to find out what the regulations are for your country and modify these instructions to make your blind compliant with those regulations

Examples of safety advice and rules used by some countries of the world are:

  • Do not place furniture or beds near windows where children can climb up and access the blind cords.
  • For roman blinds with rod pockets greater than 20cms apart at any point a breakaway device must be used on each cord.
  • The cleat must be 150cms from the floor and accumulate all/most of the cord – only a single cord of no more than 20cms can hang below the cleat.
  • The bottom loop of the chain or cord must be 150cms from the floor and secured with a safety device OR If the operating chain/cord has a breakaway device then the bottom loop of the cord/chain can be 60cms from the floor.
  • Some countries require that all the blind's components have been tested and certified when used together.

Materials
  • - Fabric
  • - Lining
  • - Thread
  • - Velcro Loop Tape
  • - Cord
  • - Rods
  • - Bottom Bar
  • - Rings
    • Tools
  • - Sewing Machine
  • - Tape Measure
  • - Needles
  • - Scissors
  • - Set Square
  • - Straight Edge
  • - Invisible Marker
    • Options
  • - Invisible Marker/li>
  • - Velcro Hook Tape
  • - Screw Eyes
  • - Acorn
  • - Cleat Hook
  • - Cord
  • - Staple Gun
    • or
  • - Headrail Kit
  • - Hacksaw
    • Step 8: Apply Heading & Stab Stitch
    Printable Worksheet
    Printable Worksheet

    FORM THE HEADING

    • Remove the pins.
    • Lay the blind down fabric facing upwards and smooth out.
    • Measure up from the bottom of the blind the “finished blind length”, marking each side and at points across the blind. Draw a line across the points with the vanishing marker to mark the top of the blind.
    • Turn the blind back over, again fold the lining back at the top in line with the end of the slip stitching and pin it back.
    • Turn the blind over facing fabric side up
    • Lay loop fastening tape (velcro) horizontally across the blind just ABOVE the drawn line.
    • Machine stitch the loop fastening tape to the blind.
    • Turn the blind over right side down.
    • Unpin the lining and trim it to 0.5cm from the top of the blind. (bottom line of velcro stitching)
    • Trim the excess fabric above the velcro to leave a 1.5cm flap above the velcro. (this excess fabric will be hidden behind the loop tape when the bottom of the tape is stitched to the blind later)
    This video shows you
    • Where and why we use tacking stitches at this stage.
    • How to measure the length of the blind.
    • How we pin the lining back.
    • How to sew the velcro to the blind.
    • How to trim excess lining away.
    • How to trim excess fabric away.

    MARK STAB STITCHES & FINISH HEADING

    • With the blind laying fabric face down, smooth the lining and mark the positions to attach the rings. Rings should be 10cm from the sides of the blind and evenly across at 30 to 40cm intervals.

      (If you are using a blind kit make the number of rings across the same as the number of cord drops in the kit. - Space the rings accordingly)

    • Mark and pin the positions of all your stab stitches. which will be at each end of the rod pocket, at each ring position and half way between each ring.
    • Trim away any excess velcro.
    • Fold the top of the blind over along the marked line so the velcro loop fastening is now on the back of the blind. Pin into position. (tucking the excess fabric flap under)
    • Ladder stitch the end closed.
    • Slip stitch the bottom of the loop tape to the back of the blind to hold in place.
    • Ladder stitch the far end closed.

    This video shows you
    • How and where to mark the stab stitches.
    • How to pin the blind out.
    • How to trim the excess velcro.
    • How to fold and pin the heading.
    • How to tidy the heading ends.
    • How to ladder stitch the ends closed.
    • How to slip stitch the heading

    STAB STITCH

    Now sew in all your stab stitches.

    This video shows you
    • What colour thread to use.
    • Why we pin the stab stitches.
    • How to stab stitch.
    • How small your stab stitches should be. (demonstration in red thread)
    • How to start and finish the stitch.

    Your Questions & Comments

    Sarah

    Is there a reason that you use Velcro at the top rather than just stapling the fabric to the top batten?

    SewHelpful:
    Everyone makes roman blinds differently. We no longer use batons in the professional workshop due to EU regs on child blind safety so always use a mechanism - the blind cannot be stapled to it.
    There is no reason why you can’t staple to the baton though if you prefer - you will need to make it longer and staple it to the top of the baton. We do not do this as feel it does not give a professional finish and makes batons difficult to attach particularly if fitted within the recess.
    Anne Richardson

    Thank you so much for this excellent tutorial. I can't believe how good my blind is looking. I am currently stitching the velcro by hand as shown in the last tutorial but its hard going on my fingers. I'm using a self threading needle size 9. Can I ask what needle you use or would recommend?

    SewHelpful:

    Are you watching the videos? We don't stitch through the velcro, we stitch to the fabric just below it. As for the needle it's personal preference but we like using long darning needle.


    Buckram Needle

    Lynne

    Ive been following your instructions -blind looking great so far!

    Please can you tell me do the stab stitches go through both the lining and the fabric ?

    Many thanks

    SewHelpful:

    Yes they do to hold the blind together. The video fully explains and demonstrates how to stab stitch the blind.

    Sheelagh

    I am using your very helpful instructions to make three Roman blinds for a bay window. I would ask you to clarify 'stab stitches' I assume this attaches the blind material to the lining at the rod pockets and goes through all layers. I just want to check that I have it right! Many thanks

    SewHelpful:

    Yes the stab stitch goes all the way through to the face fabric but you try to make it show as little as possible. The video shows you in detail how to stitch it and how little of the stitch you want to show.

    Sarah Davies

    I have bought your video and found it great for making my first blind, I couldn't do your rod pickets as I had thermal lining so made my own little pockets out of a different lining and stitched them on, I didn't get them quite as straight as I wanted to and my top rod pocket is about 5ml wider than the rest, I have tried to correct it as best as possible. When I come to stitch on my rings should I put them where the rod pocket should be on the top rod pocket or keep it 5ml out ? Also is 3 strings ok for a 117cm width blind ?

    SewHelpful:

    At the moment there are instructions written in red in the tutorial that tell you how to make the blind with rod pocket tape rather than traditional integral pockets. (They drop down if you click on them).

    You attach the tape with one line of stitching NOT 2  lines, as the blind is pulled up on the stitch line of the pocket. With rod pocket tape you would usually have canvas loops in it for attaching breakout rings or threading the cord. With your homemade tape attach the rings/breakouts as we do in the tutorial.

    As for things being 5mm out and adjusting the ring position, we would remake to make sure it is not 5mm out and everything is consistent rather than start moving things around. ( so have no experience of that to offer- but it sounds like it might work). 

    As as for the number of cords, this is covered in STEP 8 (stab stitching & attaching rings). We recommend the number of rings/cords there and their spacing. If you are using a Blind kit mechanism, use the number of cords provided and space accordingly (as in many countries now they have breakouts and each cord will only be able to pull so much weight before breaking away.)

    Annette

    Hi....2 queries please!

    1. I'm assuming the Velcro tape is machined onto face fabric only, and not thru to lining?

    2. My blind is 57cm wide....not sure whether to do 2 or 3 cord drops?

    Loving the instructions, many thanks!

    SewHelpful:

    You could probably get away with 2 cord drops on a traditional blind, but if you have a chain headrail go for the number of drops it was supplied with as it will probably have breakouts and each cord will only be able to take so much weight.

    All the stitching and construction is shown in great detail in the videos.

    Angela

    When slip stitching the heading to the blind, should the stiches go all the way through to the front of the fabric or just stitched to the lining?

    Thank you

    SewHelpful:

    Full details of the construction method and stitches are shown in detail in the videos.

    Marianne

    am now ready to put in stab stitches and rings. The blind is 114 cm wide. If I follow your instructions I will have a ring at 10cm from edge, either side, then 2 more in between and 31.3cm apart. That means I will end up with 4 strings to hold the blind up. Is that ok or a bit excessive? Thanks for your help

    SewHelpful:

    That is the number we recommend and would use, especially if you have break outs that can only take so much tension on each cord. Most 120cm blind kits come with 4 cords. (with a mechanism we would use the number of cords supplied with it.)

    Of course you can make it with less if you like, but  the blinds are stiffer to pull up if you put too much weight on a cord. It will depend on the weight of your fabric/blind friction of the cords/eyelets you use etc.

    Kathy King

    Hi -

    when you attach the rings do you attach just to the rod pocket? or how do you do this? I understand the stab stitches in between the rings but confused as to how to attach rings and stab stitch at same time (with rod pocket in the way)

    SewHelpful:

    You Stab stitch first, insert the rods then sew the rings onto the rod pockets after. All the stitches are demonstrated in detail in the videos.

    Julia Savory

    As a more or less complete beginner, I find these instructions informative, clear and easy to follow. The only thing I wish you'd show is how you handle blinds that are too big for your table. I'm using the floor but finding it all very painful on my back!

    SewHelpful:

    In the early days we bought a board and covered it with lining and put it on top of the dining room table to give us enough surface to work with at a more comfortable height. (I appreciate that is not possible for everyone)

    Jayne

    Thank you for your invaluable, detailed tutorial. I have used rod pocket tape so do I lift the tape up to put my stab stitches underneath the tape or do I put the stab stitches above the tape please?

    SewHelpful:

    We stitch through the tape on the stitch line you attached the rod pocket to the lining. This is the point the cords will be pulling on the blind as it is pulled up.

    Linda

    Will i get the best by stab stitching with my material flat on the table or hanging the material of a frame

    SewHelpful:

    We stab stitch on the table, all details are in the videos.

    Ruth Walton

    Hi

    I have nearly finished making my lined blind. I have used rod pocket tape but this is only stitched on to the lining. Should this row of stitching holding it on go right through to the front fabric? The kit has little clips for the cord so these don't even go through any fabric.

    SewHelpful:

    With our method we dont stitch through to the face fabric with the rod pockets. We stab stitch the layers together, which is the last job on this page of the tutorial.

    Amanda

    Hi

    I have been following your videos making a lined blind with rod pockets. I have purchased a metal mechanism rail with which has 5 cord drops. My blind is 128cm long, spacing out the rings would make stab stitches req for rings at 10, 37, 64, 91 and 118 cm. This leaves 27cm gaps, would you add stab stitches in between - at 13.5 cm intervals which is less than you minimum, but if I don't the gaps will be greater than your maximum gap.

    Thanks for any advice you can give me.

    SewHelpful:

    Yes always stab stitch more rather than less, we would stab stitch inbetween the rings.

    Sharon

    Hi

    I am using rod pocket tape, could you tell me do I stab stitch above, below or underneath the rod pocket tape? Also should I stab stitch every 10cm across as I don't need to use rings?

    Finally, should I stab stitch along the fold line? Great videos and instructions, blind looking good so far. Many thanks

    SewHelpful:

    Stab stitch on the stitch line in the places specified in the instructions. As you are not sewing on rings, stab stitch at the points where there would have been rings.

    Sheila

    Hi

    Great tutorial! Found it most helpful as I have never made a roman blind before. Just one query, do I I need to stab stitch underneath the heading.?

    Many thanks.

    SewHelpful:

    No

    Joanna

    Hello......I have made many roman blinds and like using your instructions and calculators.

    One problem I always seem to have is that the velcro always seems to pull the top of the blind in so that the blind ends up a few mm narrower at the top....any ideas?

    SewHelpful:

    Walking foot on the machine will help with that.

    Joanna

    Thanks for tip of walking foot, hunted mine out having never used it and it's awesome, also for sewing rod pockets, used to find these stretched out of shape before. Thanks so much!

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