Cutting Out Your Curtains
If your curtain fabric is washable, preshrink it as described in Chapter 3. A great many yards of fabric will be difficult to straighten all at once, so pull threads to cut your fabric into lengths and straighten them individually. If you have a pattern to match, simply start each length at exactly the same place in the pattern, cut it to the correct length (the finished curtain plus your hem and heading allowances), then cut away the fabric to the next pattern repeat.
With the lengths cut out and straightened, cut away all selvage edges. Split any lengths that are wider than necessary. You can usually pull lengthwise threads to make a straight cut.
If you want curtains that open and close easily but don't want the trouble of pleats and hooks, make your curtains as if to shirr them only without a heading. Use curtain rings with tiny clamps to hang your curtains. They are available from home decorating catalogs and from some well-stocked department stores.
