How Do I Hang a Curtain on a Velux Window?

Things You'll Need

Step ladder
Tape measure
Pencil
Carpenters' awl
2 curtain wire kits including hooks and eyes
Wire cutters
Lightweight fabric such as silk or cotton
Scissors
Sewing machine

Skylights allow lots of natural light into a room, but are hard to dress.

Velux is a brand name for roof windows or skylights. Velux make blackout blinds to fit their windows, which are a practical choice for bedrooms as they block light. It's possible to fit your own more decorative curtains to a roof window, but the curtain must be tensioned at both the top and the bottom, or it won't hang correctly. These curtains are not suitable for use with very high windows where the curtain needs to be opened, as the curtain has to be operated manually. For these situations, an automatic blind is a more practical choice.

Step 1

Measure 1 inch in and down from each top corner of the Velux frame. Make a pencil mark. Repeat for the bottom of the frame, so that you have a mark in each corner.

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Step 2

Make a hole through each mark using an awl. This is to make it easier to screw in the eyes for the curtain wire. Screw an eye into each of the four holes.

Step 3

Measure the width of the frame from one eye to the other. Cut both curtain wires to this length, and screw a hook into one end of each piece, leaving the other hook off for now.

Step 4

Measure the length of the frame, from the top left corner eye to the bottom left corner eye. Measure and cut a piece of fabric that's twice the width of the frame and 5 inches longer.

Step 5

Lay the fabric out right-side down. Across the width of the fabric, fold a 1-inch hem into one end. Turn the hem over again to create a double 1-inch hem. Pin the hem, then machine sew along the seam, leaving the ends open. Repeat for the other end of the fabric.

Step 6

Slide the first curtain wire through the hem of the fabric until the end emerges from the other side. Screw the other hook into place. Repeat with the other wire for the other end of the fabric.

Step 7

Hook the top wire into place on the top eyes. Repeat with the bottom wire. Even out the gathers with your fingers so that the curtain looks attractive.

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