What Fabric Should I Use To Make My Roman Shade?

The fabric you should use for your roman shades is honestly... just about anything you like. Now, that's probably not the answer you were looking for. Surely, there are fabrics that are better for making roman shades than others.

The best thing I can recommend to you when making roman shades... is that when you are looking at a fabric... and you find the ones you like. Always, first, go straight to the fabric you like... the fabric that you can envision on your windows and as part of your decor. There's no sense in trying to find just the right type of fabric... and then never find the style you want.

Now, if you've chosen silk or something similar... that's a lovely choice for a roman shade. Don't shy away from it. But keep in mind that silk fights being pleated. It's very soft and you won't have crisp pleats. That's ok! You just need to know this going into your roman shade project. You'll ultimately have nice soft folds that lay on top of each other. You may want to consider interlining a silk roman shade to give your shade body.

If you really want those crisp pleats... when you find a fabric that you like, see how well it creases. If it's a heavy, upholstery type of fabric, then it's not going to crease well. This type of fabric will fight you when you raise your roman shade... the fabric will require fuss to get the pleats just right. And it will probably never train. So, you may want to avoid heavy upholstery type of fabrics.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying to not ever use these fabrics... I'm just saying that some fabrics are harder to work with and will require more fuss.

Now, if you've found a nice cotton or something more of a blend... that when you go to crease it, it's nice and stiff and holds the crease almost instantly. That's the perfect type of fabric for a roman shade. It will give you that typical crisp pleat as you fold it up.

So, again, don't hold yourself back from a fabric that you love when making your roman shades. Just keep in mind that your roman shade may not turn out exactly as you envisioned it because every fabric folds differently.