Curtain Tutorial -Part One

Here is the fabric Tina chose for the living areas.

This tutorial is for Tina. She is taking a huge leap in sewing by making new curtains for the camper she and her hubby are remodeling. We picked out the fabric on Saturday and she needs them completed before they hit the road in a mere 2 weeks.
...and I'm pretty sure I told her I'd post a curtain tutorial like 2 months ago...
Not only have I procrastinated that for a while, I'll be sewing the valance for my teen's room that has been waiting for about 2 years. Yes. I'm THAT bad...

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Tina already has her fabric bought and cut so this tutorial will cover sewing only. I may post on how to calculate your materials if there is enough interest.

You will need: Fabric
Thread
Yardstick or ruler (you will use this for measuring as well as a straight-edge)
Chalk or fabric marking pen
Iron
Ironing board
Straight pins
Sewing machine
and, of course, curtain rods for hanging your lovely new window treatments!

To proceed you should have your material cut to finish size plus allowances for hems on all four sides. I like to use 1/2" double-fold hems for the sides, 1" for the bottom and the top can vary greatly depending on how you want it to look. This tutorial will show you how to make a top casing plus a header. Like this:

While I'm making a valance, the steps are the same for making a rod-run curtain of any size.

We will be starting with the hems on the sides. My yardstick is about 1" wide so I use that to measure.
I lay it down on the fabric and use chalk to mark a line about 1" from the edge.

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Fold along the chalk line and press.

Unfold

Fold the edge of the fabric in to meet the pressed line...

...then fold along the pressed line again. You now have a 1/2" double folded hem! Pin as needed. Repeat for remaining sides.

Bring the panels to the sewing machine and stitch. I set my machine to a straight stitch with a length of 3.
The presser foot on my machine has a little red mark that I use a my guide. You can see in the photo that I could also follow the 1/2" stitching line guide that is on the throat plate of my machine. Find a spot on your set-up and keep it lined up along a folded edge for easy, straight stitching lines.

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Sew all sides and then we will proceed to the bottom hems in Part Two.

Have you made curtains before? Have you done any other home decor sewing?