How to Make No-Sew Blackout Curtains This easy DIY tutorial will help you get a better night's sleep—starting tonight. Close Credit: ASHLEY POSKIN Thick blackout fabric keeps your room warmer in the winter by preventing heat from escaping, cooler in the summer by trapping conditioned air inside and keeping sunlight out, and quieter in every season by blocking the noise from your neighbor's backyard. But blackout curtains can be prohibitively expensive—unless you make your own. Here, Ashley Poskin shares how to use by-the-yard blackout fabric to create custom DIY blackout curtains using iron-on adhesive (no sewing machine required). The only potential problem with this project? It will be that much harder to get out of bed in the morning. 12 Stylish Blackout Curtains That Will Help You Get a Better Night's Sleep Shopping for Blackout Fabric When purchasing blackout fabric, you have a few options, starting with a lightweight fabric that feels less like vinyl, but lets in more light (if you're working with medium- to heavy-weight curtains, this is a good option). If your existing curtain fabric is very see-through, you'll want to choose a heavier weight blackout fabric, which feels slightly similar to vinyl. If you find yourself at the store and unsure of what to choose, turn on your phone's flashlight and hold the light directly behind the blackout fabric to see how much light actually shines through. You'll also need to decide on a color—white, off-white, ecru, or gray—to complement or contrast with your curtains. Project Tips When working with iron-on adhesive, a damp cloth is typically layered between the fabric and your iron to prevent burning. But because blackout fabric is so thick, it's best to apply heat directly to the fabric. As with most fabrics, be sure to test a small area before proceeding. 15 Shade and Curtain Projects to Personalize Your Windows What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Straight pins Measuring tape Handheld iron Scissors Materials Curtains or fabric (Pictured: Opalhouse Velvet Curtain Panel with Tassels, in Blush Pink) Blackout fabric (Pictured: Roc-Ion Blackout Drapery Lining White Fabric, 54-inch) Iron-on adhesive (Pictured: Dritz Stitch Witchery Heavy Duty Tape) Instructions Measure your existing curtains: Before purchasing supplies, measure the length and width of your curtains. (Note: Our curtains were 84 inches long, so we purchased 3 yards of fabric for each curtain.) Credit: Ashley Poskin Add blackout fabric to back of curtains: Place blackout fabric along the top hem on the backside of the curtains. To avoid any pulling or dimpling and allow the blackout fabric to fall naturally without compromising its shape, you'll only be attaching it along this hem. Credit: Ashley Poskin Measure iron-on adhesive and sandwich between curtain and blackout fabric: Measure along the top of the backside of the curtain and cut a length of iron-on adhesive to fit. Pull the blackout fabric back, and place the iron-on adhesive along the top hem, sandwiched between the back of the curtain and the blackout fabric. Credit: Ashley Poskin Pin, apply heat, and press and hold iron: Use straight pins along the backside of the curtain to hold the blackout fabric, iron-on adhesive, and curtain in place. Set your iron to the "wool" setting (as according to iron-on adhesive directions), press and hold the iron on the back side of the blackout fabric. Depending on the type and thickness of fabric you're working with, you may need to press and hold the iron onto the blackout fabric for longer than the recommended 20 seconds. Our curtains were a medium-weight velvet and required up to 60 seconds to bond adhesive to the fabric, working in 10 second intervals. Credit: Ashley Poskin Hang and trim excess: Once the blackout fabric has bonded to the backside of the curtains, hang them in place and trim any excess that might show. Credit: ASHLEY POSKIN Updated by Blythe Copeland Blythe Copeland Blythe Copeland is a contributing writer with more than a decade of experience as a lifestyle writer. Explore more: DIY Projects & Crafts