Big Decision – Ready-Made or Custom 

Lace Curtains can be purchased ready made, sewn by a Do-It-Your-Selfer or custom made by a professional using Lace Fabric purchased by the yard. Simple decision, right? Wrong. The decision to do one or the other depends on many, sometimes not very obvious, considerations. Let’s first assume that you are adept at sewing.

That will keep all options available. Consider the following:

Ready Made Lace Curtains

1. Immediate availability

2. Attractively scalloped or woven side and bottom hem patterns

3. Gathered rod pocket – not capable of traversing rod

4. If there are hems they are single hems

5. Fixed sizes

6. Single narrow panels

7. More economical than custom made

Do-It-Yourself Lace Curtains

1. Custom length as required

2. Can be pinch pleated to open and close

3. Wider width panels

4. Wider selection of Lace Material patterns

5. Time consuming

6. Requires wide and long table for cutting purposes

7. Almost always less expensive

Custom Lace Curtains

1. Most of the same advantages as Do-It_Yourself
2. Expensive
3. Best quality sewing
4. Professional advice

These are all very important considerations but not the only ones. The patterns you find in Ready Made Lace Curtains usually are different from those available in Lace Yardage so this will also have to be part of your decision. Also if you desire Cotton Lace Panels they can usually be found only in Ready Made Lace Curtains mostly more expensive. Most Lace Material available by the yard is Polyester unless you get into the very expensive Lace Patterns. Make sure, if you choose to Do-It-Yourself that you pick Lace Fabric that is meant to be used for Curtains and not Bridal or Stretch Lace.

You will find that the quality of Lace, both in Lace Yardage and in Ready Made Lace Curtains varies a great deal. On our site we feature Heritage Lace, a fine quality Lace made in the U.S.A. As well as Lace Material from Scotland, France, Chine and Germany. All of these Lace products were chosen for their quality, not on the basis of the lowest price.

There is something to be said for having someone else do the work. Although it is much easier it does not come with a sense of accomplishment. We do have complete sewing instructions on our web site and are personally available on Toll Free 1-866-775-LACE (5223) from 9AM to 6PM (California Time) for advice.

This article is all about which Curtains to use and not about style. That is a subject for another article.