A crisp press makes a sewing project so much easier! Always press both the fabric and lining.
The first row of tape should be 5 inches (12. 7 cm) from the bottom. The next row should be 8 inches (20. 3 cm) up and repeat with three more rows 8 inches (20. 3 cm) apart.
If you are still unsure of what you are looking for, ask for tube tape used for roman blinds at your fabric store and they should hopefully know what you’re looking for.
The main thing you need to look for when choosing a slat, is that it is sturdy, yet slim. For this particular fabric blinds, Hubs had some plastic slats from an old mini blind hanging around, and it worked perfectly! It was flexible and yet wouldn’t break - which is something you need to watch for if you use a wooden slat. If it is too thin, it can snap. A 1/4" thickness would be perfect. The width of the slat should not be greater than 1. 25".
For this blind, try using a zipper foot and stitch with the machine. This is by far the most challenging step (if done by machine) as you need to make sure you are far enough away from the wall to accommodate the slat sticking out behind you and in front of you, as you stitch. Stitching by hand will alleviate this problem, but it does take longer.
Try pinning and stitching one row at a time, removing the basting before continuing on to the next row. This way you can be sure to pull the fabric smooth between each row and ensure a better finished product.
The shade will work just fine without covering the board. . . it just won’t look as nice! At any rate, if you choose to cover it. . . wrap it much the same as you would wrap a gift. . . just use staples instead of tape! Tuck those ends in and staple them neatly too![5] X Research source
You will need to tie a bulky knot - and this is important because you don’t want that knot eventually pulling through the loops on the tube tape. Try knotting it about three times, and then thread the cord through a large blunt needle. Again, start at the bottom of the opposite side you want your cord drop. Measure 2" in from the edge and pull your needle through a loop on the bottom row of tube tape.
Try using a light blocking liner.
