How to sew ribbon to tulle

Curtain tape is a textile braid with small loops and thick threads (cords). It is also called the Australian ribbon. It comes in different widths, colors and lengths. You can sew such a braid onto tulle yourself if you have a sewing machine and know how to make at least simple stitches on it. We will tell you about all the nuances of this work in the article.

How to sew ribbon to tulle

Even such seemingly simple work has its own characteristics. For example, it is important to choose the right braid (much depends on the material and size of the curtains). It should be sewn not to a piece of fabric, but to a finished curtain, without over-stretching the fabric. It is necessary to select threads and a needle (keep in mind that the tulle is thin) and, finally, sew the parts to each other perfectly evenly.

How to choose the right tape

In textile and curtain stores, your eyes run wide: there are so many accessories, and they are all different! Don’t rush to buy the first braid that catches your eye. First pay attention to the following points:

1. Manufacturer country. There are a lot of Chinese fittings in the stores. It's cheap, but very low quality. Such a tape will quickly lose its shape (it will stretch out or, conversely, shrink strongly after the first wash). The cords on it often break, and the loops vary in size. Russian or Belarusian tapes are a little more expensive, but they are also of better quality: they last a long time and are made carefully. Finally, the most chic thing is French or Italian-made ribbons. They are not found often, they are expensive, but they are great for exclusive designer curtains.
2. Color and material. The main task of such fittings is to hold the curtains while remaining invisible. This means that you need to choose a transparent braid (ideally made of thick nylon) or exactly the same color as the tulle.
3. Size. The heavier the curtain fabric, the wider the braid should be. Tulle is most often thin and light; for it it is better to buy braid no more than 6 cm wide.
4. Curtain tapes have different marking. So, for tulle you need to look for the “IZ” marking, for organza – “T”.
5. Integrity. Examine the braid in the store. There should be no damage to it.

Sew on the ribbon: step-by-step instructions

The first stage is preparation. At each end of the ribbon you need to leave at least 2-3 cm free. On the tulle you also need to leave a margin of a couple of centimeters on each side.

Next you need:

1. We iron the tulle, bend the top edge a centimeter and iron it again.
2. We retreat 5 mm from the edge of the curtain, and then apply tape over the folded section. It is important that it is not overtightened, located evenly and without folds.
3. First we baste by hand. This is done with a thin needle and thread of a contrasting color. It is not necessary to baste along the entire length; a few stitches located at the same distance from each other are enough.
4. We make parallel lines on the machine. There should be as many of them as there are threads in the tape.
5. 2 cm before the edge of the tulle, cut off the braid and tie knots on the line.
6. We bend the edge of the curtain fabric first into a full hem, and then a partial one, hiding the ends of the braid in it. We sew the edges.
7. The last stage - the tulle needs to be laid out on a flat surface and collected on a tape so that the folds look natural.

Important! You will definitely have long threads left - cords. They don't need to be trimmed. Cord pieces are needed to regulate the number of folds. They should be tied in loose knots.

How to hang tulle with ribbon on a cornice

Curtain braid is suitable for any curtain rod that has hooks. In modern models these hooks are plastic. You need to hang the curtain by the loops on the tape. If the braid is narrow with one row of loops, no questions arise.

It’s another matter when the loops are arranged in 2-4 rows. How to be in this case? In fact, you can hang tulle on any of the rows. The choice depends on what distance from the floor to the tulle is optimal for you.

It is important to place the loops evenly on the hooks to avoid sagging of the curtain fabric. However, there is no need to pull it between the hooks either. Your task is to make the tulle look natural on the window.