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Can’t find that pair of blackout curtains to fit your window and fancy having a go yourself?

Anyone with basic sewing skills should be able to make a pair of handmade curtains to the desired size, using a wider choice of patterns, colours and fabrics compared to ready-made curtains.

Some of the benefits of making your own blackout curtains include, they will fit the exact size of your window, block out light, thermal insulation, noise reduction, extra privacy, no additional costs for curtain alterations and you could customise to suit your own style, for example, add a bit of sparkle.

If you are new to curtain making, it is best to start with a plain material and remember: accurate measuring and cutting is vital for creating a successful pair of blackout curtains.

This guide is ideal if you have a lightweight fabric that you want to make into blackout curtains with a Taped Heading. 

Or, if you just want to use our Blackout fabric on its own to make a pair of Blackout curtains, the same approach works with standard non-blackout fabric.  

Installing a Blackout Blind is a really easy job and can make a huge difference to your home.

We've created this easy to follow step by step guide, to help you through. 

Tools required:

• Screwdriver
• Metal Tape Measure
• Pencil
• Hacksaw
• Scissors
• Small Step Ladder
• Ruler or Spirit Level
• Hand Drill (optional)
• Rawlplugs (optional)

Before you start:

Check the area where you are fitting the blind, is it a suitable surface or are there any electrical cabling nearby.

Check there are no obstructions, to opening/closing the blind.

Remember Ball chain device can be dangerous to pets and children.

Duration:

Around 1 Hour.

Step 1 - Measure The Windows

When you’re measuring your window for blackout blinds, you need to decide whether you prefer to fit the blind inside the window recess or outside the window recess.

Each position has some benefits and drawbacks, so ultimately it’s up to you to decide which you prefer.

Measuring For Blackout Blinds - Inside The Recess

If you’re looking at purchasing a set of blackout curtains or linings then you’re probably aware that blackout products will block out sunlight and unwanted light from cars and street lights, and have thermal and noise reducing properties

But one thing you probably hadn’t considered was whether there would be any potential effects on your health.

Sadly, there are some blackout products on the market that are made using harmful chemicals.

So, are all blackout linings made the same way?

What Is Blackout Lining Made Of?

Despite all helping to keep your room dark, not all blackout linings are made the same way.

Two-pass blackout lining is made by spraying a base fabric with a black opaque membrane before spraying it with a white acrylic foam. It blocks 95-100% of light and is lightweight.

Three-pass blackout lining is made by first spraying the base fabric with a white acrylic foam, then spraying with a black opaque membrane, and finally spraying it with another layer of white acrylic foam on the outside. It also blocks 100% of light,

If you’re in the market for a set of blackout blinds, it’s important to get the right fit to ensure they’re blocking out the maximum amount of light.

Here’s how to measure for blackout blinds to make sure you get the perfect fit.

Before You Start

Measuring your windows for blackout blinds shouldn’t take any more than 10-15 minutes.

Measuring correctly will help minimize any light that might be able to get through the sides, so before you start, make sure you have the following tools:

• A metal tape measure
• A small step ladder
• A pencil
• A notebook

When measuring for a blackout blind, measure the exact width across the area you want to cover, to ensure a perfect fit.

And remember - check your measurements twice - you don’t want to order the wrong size!

Where Do You Want Your Blackout Blinds to Hang?

The first decision when measuring for blackout blinds is to decide on the positioning of the blind - do you want the blind to sit inside or outside

With a wide variety of blackout products on the market now, you have plenty of options to darken any room and solve your sleeping problem.

Blackout products are ideal for those of us that are looking for a better quality of sleep, whether you are a shift worker, light sleep, or have a baby and need to darken the nursery windows, there is the right product out there for you.

However, don’t be fooled by some of the “life hacks” you see online like spraying water on your window, and covering it in tin foil. 

While some of these DIY methods offer easy, temporary, and damage-free blackout coverage, they are only a temporary solution, and should only be considered as a one-off, or a quick fix when you have no other options.

Here we guide you through the selection process with some simple steps, 

Why Blackout Your Windows?

Of course, people will choose to blackout their windows in order to darken a room, but blackout curtains, blinds, and fabric do so much more to a room than just keep the

If you’re a shift worker, or you’re simply trying to catch up on some rest from a poor night’s sleep, you might find yourself struggling to get good quality sleep during the day.

And there's a good reason for that.

Our bodies have been hard wired to follow the patterns of the day for thousands of years, using the day to find food and shelter, and taking advantage of the darkness to catch up on rest by sleeping during the night.

Nowadays, however, there are an increasing number of reasons why people might need to sleep during the day.

Here are some tips for sleeping during the day that will help you get the good night’s sleep you deserve.

5 Simple Tips For Sleeping During The Day

1. Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that can temporarily make us feel more alert by blocking sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain and increasing adrenaline production, making it much more difficult to fall asleep.

In doing so, caffeine shortens the amount of deep sleep

If you’re a shift worker or a particularly light sleeper you might have considered blackout blinds to help you get a good night’s sleep.

But what are blackout blinds? How do they work? And are they worth it?

What Are Blackout Blinds And Where Are They Used?

Blackout blinds block 100% of the light filtering through the fabric, and they are ideal for blocking out sunlight and adding privacy in your home.

The blind is a made from a single piece of blackout fabric, wrapped around a casing, that is ideally installed inside the window recess or it can be positioned outside the recess.

This type of blind operates via a pull cord which is attached to the bottom of the blind or a sidewinding chain mechanism that is attached to the casing itself. They are simple to use and are popular for homes and businesses alike.

Blackout blinds can block out daylight, street light, car lights and provide more privacy compared with standard blinds, in winter months they help keep the room warmer, and in the summer

You have decided that you would like to completely block out light in a room, and the ideal solution is blackout curtains.   As the name suggests, blackout curtains block out light, but not all to the same degree, that can vary from 85% to 100% - depending on the curtain fabrics.

So How Do Blackout Curtains Work?

100% blackout curtains do not allow a single ray of light to get through and it is the only product of its kind to be able to completely blackout the light. 

Made from our innovative, proprietary 100% Blackout fabric, blackout curtains use triple weave technology to provide a three layer approach to functional curtains. 

Special black yarns are woven tightly into the middle of a unique multiple layered thermal lining, and it is the middle yarns that deliver block out properties to a room.

What Are The Benefits of Blackout Curtains?

Block out sunlight, car lights, street lights.  

Ideal for a shift worker, babies nurseries and anyone living on a main road.

Energy-efficient.

Just imagine those long summer evenings and early sunrises.  

Wonderful, don’t you agree? That is, until you want an early night, lie in or you are a shift worker, you simply need to block out the light.

When that’s the case, blackout curtains are the ideal solution.

What Are Blackout Curtains?

While standard curtains are made from one layer of fabric, which allows light through, blackout curtains are made in a special blackout fabric that works to completely block out light from entering a room.

We have a range of curtains here at Blackouts Direct, and our 100% Blackout Curtains are the only product of their kind, able to create total darkness in a room with the only way for light to enter the room being through a gap in the curtains.

How Do Blackout Curtains Work?

Blackout curtains are made differently to standard curtains. 

Special yarns are woven tightly into a multiple layered backing, and it is this backing that enables the curtains to block out the light, provide insulation, increase privacy

A regular sleep pattern is important to maintaining your health, mood and mental wellbeing.

Sleep can help boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, and reduces our chances of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

Getting a good night's sleep can be extremely difficult and challenging when you work shifts.  Your body is working against the circadian rhythm which is largely based on the light-dark cycle, which is sleep during the night, awake during the day.  

If you’ve recently started working nights, or have been struggling to get good quality sleep during the day, here’s 9 sleep tips for shift workers that will help you get a better night’s sleep.

1. Stick To A Routine

Try to work the same shifts consistently, rather than jumping between different schedules. 

Although this can be difficult to organise with your employer, it always pays dividends when it comes to sleep. Remember some pattern is better than no pattern, and the closer you can keep those patterns the better.

Wake up and go to bed at a similar time each