Frequently Asked Questions: Variations on Classic Roman Shades
E1. How do I make Top-Down shades?
E2. Can I make a Roman shade for a Trapezoid window?
E3. How do I make a Tab-Top (or Decorative Rod) Roman shade?
E4. How do I make a "Hobbled" Roman shade?
E5. How do I make a "Relaxed" Roman shade?
E6. Can you provide better cutting directions for the SewNews Mock-Valance Shade?
E7. How do I make a Double Shade?

E1. How do I make a Top-Down shade? There is an entire section on making Top-Down/Bottom-Up shades. There is also a separate page that describes Top-Down Only shades. 

E2. Can I make a Roman shade for a trapezoid window? You may have a trapezoid window in your house. The top trim is often angles along the roof line. You can make a classic Roman for this window. Click here to get complete information.

E3. How do I make a Tab-Top or Decorative Rod Roman shade? The "tab top" Roman shade actually has two sets of hardware. The visible portion is a decorative curtain rod which supports the top of the shade. I have seen them with tabs sewn onto the top of the shade or with large decorative rings. These are then slipped onto a decorative rod above the window. There is another "mounting board" that contains the pulleys that is either an outside mount or an inside mount. This is several inches below the top of the shade. The lift cord goes through the pulley system on this lower board. Then, instead of attaching the top of the shade to this board with Velcro or staples, the top is "hung" from the decorative rod. One of my customers sent some great photographs of his installation, so click here to see visuals.

E4. How do I make a "Hobbled" Roman shade? I have never made a hobbled shade myself, so please consider this information as a guideline, rather than as "tried and reliable". However, I get asked enough for information, that I have included the information below.

The Hobbled shade has permanent folds, which are created by doubling the fabric between the folds. It is usually made using twill tape, which can be purchased with or without lift rings already attached. The length of the shade, before you make the soft folds, will be almost twice as long as a flat shade.

• Flat shade length: Top Border + (number of folds x Fold Depth) + Bottom Border. For example, a FINISHED shade length of 56", with 3" folds (16 of them) would work out to (3" top border + (16 x 3") + 5" Bottom Border) = 3" + 48" + 5" = 56".
• The UN-HOBBLED Finished Length of the shade: Top Border + 2 x (number of folds x fold depth) + Bottom Border. If you want to end up with a FINISHED Hobbled length of 56", then your un-hobbled shade would be made this long: (3" Top Border + 2 x (16 x 3") + 5" Bottom Border) = 3" + 96" + 5" = 104".

Make the shade the Un-Hobbled Finished length, just like you would a flat shade. In the above example, your 16 "folds" will be 6" apart. Glue the battens inside the shade, or mark the fold locations on the back of the shade. The twill tape is marked as follows: 0.5" from one end, and then every 3" (or the actual fold depth). You then pin the twill tape onto the back of the shade, which will bulge out between the pins, since there is double the distance between the marks on the shade as between the marks on the twill tape. Hand sew the lift rings (or tack where the lift rings are for pre-sewn tape) through all layers of the shade (around the battens) and twill tape. Proceed as with a flat shade.

You can use the Hardware Calculator to help you decide on Fold Depth, number of lift lines, etc. Simply use the Finished Shade Width and Shade Length. The only error will be the amount of lining. It will give you the quantity required for a Flat (Un-Hobbled) shade. Your lining size will be the same as the Un-Hobbled fabric length.

Sophia Hansen of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina sent me photographs of her wonderful Top-Down/Bottom-Up Hobbled shades. So that answers the question: "Can I make a top-down hobbled shade?" You can see larger photos of her shades by clicking here.

Terri Stefanson of Medford, Oregon also sent photographs of Hobbled Top-Down shades. You can see larger photos of her shades by clicking here.

E5. How do I make a "Relaxed" Roman shade? These shades are also known as "soft shades" or London shades. I have never made a relaxed shade myself, so please consider this information as a guideline, rather than as "tried and reliable". To make a relaxed shade, you use only two rows of lift rings. They are placed on each side of the shade. If you place the lift lines close to the edge of the shade, the center "sags" when the shade is raised. If you place the lift lines further from the edge (I have seen them 5" to 8" in), then you get a secondary effect as the edges of the shade also drop down. This looks sort of like a bow-tie when the shade is raised. Don't use battens in the folds. When the shade is raised, the center sags. You do have to "dress" the shade each and every time that you raise it.

Relaxed shades have a weight rod in a fabric sleeve that is attached on the back side of the shade just below the bottom row of lift rings. Cut the rod slightly longer than the distance between the two columns of rings. Make a fabric sleeve and slip the rod into it, closing the end. Then whip-stitch it just under each of the two columns of rings. This is one reason why you need to go to the trouble of making a fabric sleeve for the rod, otherwise it would be very difficult to attach the rod to the shade. The second reason is that you will see the rod from the back of the shade. You want it to blend in with the lining fabric. You do need a weight rod, or your shade will not drop all of the way down when you release it. The photograph at the right is courtesy of Wilma Brubaker of Nashville, TN. You can see her coordinating top-down/bottom-up shades by clicking here. According to Wilma, relaxed shades look best on windows less than 48" wide.

You can still use the on-line Hardware Calculator for these shades. Just ignore the recommendation about the number of lift lines, as you will have only two lines (and two pulleys or screw eyes). You will have to adjust the number of lift rings and the amount of lift cord as well. For example, if the Calculator recommends 3 lift lines, 30 lift rings and 60 yards of cord, you will have 2 lift lines, 20 lift rings and 40 yards of cord.

E6. Can you provide better cutting directions for the SewNews mock valance shade? I didn't get a chance to proofread the April 2007 article. The shade is beautiful and is a banded Roman with an attached banded valance. The cutting directions leave a lot to be desired. Click here for details.

E7. How do I make a "Double" Roman shade? One of the objections to Roman shades is the fact that they are either open or closed. In other words, there is no "in-between" option that lets light in but offers some degree of privacy. The Double shade takes care of this issue but combining a sheer shade for daytime topped with a fabric shade for privacy. I have sent brief directions off to several readers over the years, but Maureen Mitchell of Franklin Square, New York, is the first to send me photographs of her completed shades. Her description of how she made the shades can be found here, along with more photographs.

Contact Information:
Terrell Designs, owned by Terrell Sundermann 
5325 Sanford Cir E, Englewood, Colorado 80113
Phone: (303) 758-0188 Email: