Aw, Pinterest.  How you do tease and tempt me to find time for all your goodies.  Once school started around here, I couldn't wait to FINALLY have time to dive into a project I've been wanting to do for quite some time.  New kitchen curtains!

Here's the finished product. 

I was inspired by a pin that was no-sew easy curtains from a Target tablecloth--a faux Roman shade.  Except for one problem.  Target didn't have hardly any tableclothes, and certainly none that were inspiring enough for my kitchen.  So, I moved into "plan B" mode.  This crafter ALWAYS has a plan B.  I stood in Target and thought,"what else has a lot of fabric for not much money?"  I searched the shower curtains and ended up in the curtain panel aisle.  And there they were.  The black and white graphic print that I'd envisioned.  
I grabbed two of those bad boys, totaling $40 for my purchase.  I'd measured my windows, and figured it should be enough for the 6 window valances I'd hoped to make.

Let me give you the before, by the way.  I inherited my former kitchen curtains from the previous owners. 
Nice enough.  Waverly even.  But, I'm coming to embrace that my Army brat childhood means that about every 4 years, I need a change.  If that doesn't involve a move, then it's time to redecorate.  Even small changes can make a big difference. 

So, here's what I did to make these.  Again, loosely based on a pinterest idea, I came up, no surprise, with my own plan B method. 

1.  Measure the width of the window.  I added about a 1/2 inch to each side--or extra 1" to each window total.  I also measured about how far down I wanted these to hang, which was about 30" total per window.  (A bit less on my glass door).  NOTE:  If you are hanging yours on a tension rod INSIDE your window, your measurements will only need to add for seam allowance on each side so that your panel hangs inside the window!

2.  I cut the fabric to the measured sizes for all 6 windows, allowing  for about another 1/4 to 1/2 inch seam all around.  Because these were curtain panels, I tried to use the top pocket or bottom hem for each of my panels because then I already had me a handy-dandy pocket for the curtain rod.  In order to stretch the fabric, I did have to create my own rod pocket for a window or two--so be sure and measure that allowance out when you are cutting your panels.

3.  Using hem tape, I made sure each of my 6 panels had a top rod pocket if I had to create that myself, and a nice little hem at the bottom and on the sides.  

4.  You should now have a long rectangle, hemmed panel for each of your windows, with a rod pocket at the top.  I then used my iron to create two wide pleats toward the bottom of each panel--mimicking how a roman shade might look when drawn up.  

5.  I laid out my panels by each other so that these pleats were fairly even on all 6 panels.  Once I heavy starched in the pleats with my iron, I then took the no-sew route and used MORE hem tape to adhere the pleat on the front and the back of each panel.  You could stitch it instead...but if you are like me, that's a lot of effort to drag out that sewing machine.  

6.  Once my pleats were hem-tapped in on each panel, I just put the rod through the top pocket and they were ready to hang!  I suggest you use a tension rod for your panels, but I wanted to use the curtain rods already hung in my kitchen.   Potato, Patato.  But, since my rods jut out about 3", I had to add in a little panel to the side of each curtain to cover that area, too. 

7.  After my panels were hung, I thought they needed a little something.  So, I grabbed some black grosgrain ribbon and wound a long bit of it over the curtain rod and then tied the two ends dangling into a bow.  I liked how this cinched up the panel a little, adding a little more to the overall look.