How to Fix Curtains That Are Too Short

Curtains are generally an expensive purchase or a fairly challenging sewing project, so it is very disappointing to discover that your chosen curtains are too short for their intended window. This might be due to an unfortunate mistake or a desire to reuse old curtains that just don't quite fit a new window. If the curtains are too short by just a small amount, perhaps an inch or two, there's a good chance you can pull off some straightforward adjustments to the hem or mounting hardware. With a considerable length discrepancy, you might still be able to use the curtains with certain creative embellishments.

Examine the back of the curtains that are too short and see how deep the lower hem is. Curtains often have a deep hem of 3 to 4 inches or more. Unpicking and re-sewing a narrower hem can give you additional length, which might be sufficient to make the curtains fit the window. Doing this is quite easy for someone with sewing experience and should be achievable for beginners as well, although it's trickier if the curtains are lined. Use a stitch-unpicking tool to undo the original hem, iron the old hem flat and carefully measure the length before folding and sewing a new, narrower hem.

Bear in mind that older curtains might show a permanent fold line along the original hemline and might be faded to a different shade than the original hemline. If you believe the re-hemming method could work for your curtains that are too short but you don't want to tackle the task yourself, consult an alterations service or dry cleaners. Their fees are likely to be significantly less than replacing the curtains.

The type and position of hanging hardware for curtains can alter the length at which they hang. If your curtains are only slightly too short, examine the hardware to see whether there's any wiggle room for adjustments. You might be able to move down a curtain rod by an inch or two or replace it with a different style of rail or rod that suspends the curtains at a slightly lower level. Consider switching from a rail to clip rings, which drop curtains down a few inches beneath the rod as their intended style.

If your curtains feature a pelmet or valance, which is a wooden, fabric or upholstered border along the front of a curtain rail or rod, you have another hardware option for fixing curtains that are too short. Because these features conceal the hanging hardware, you can drop the curtains down to the desired length by adding short chains between the curtain hooks and the rod or rail. This method works best with a pelmet or valance that blocks the light from the window, which would otherwise show through above the dropped-down curtain.

If your curtains are too short by a considerable amount or the other options are not suitable, lengthen the curtains by adding a strip of fabric or a decorative trim along their lower edge. Fabric choice is key to making this fix look intentional and stylish, so consider your options carefully and be sure to use a color or print that complements the original curtain fabric. A contrasting texture could work, but the new fabric should be a similar weight to the original fabric to ensure the curtains hang nicely.

A wide-enough trim is another option with many designs from which to choose, such as lace, tassel and pompom trim. You might add a contrasting fabric band along the top of the curtains instead of or as well as the bottom, although this will likely involve re-sewing the top treatment too.