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DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Today I’m sharing how how to make a fabric covered vinyl roller shade.
DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Do I love this plain, boring vinyl shade?

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Ummm….. no…. and that’s a huge understatement because my master bedroom has THREE!!!

Yikes!

Two of these 33″ x 59″ windows are east facing so we really need the sun blockage in the morning.
These blinds are perfectly practical, but also perfectly dreadful.
So that’s about to change.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Before removing the shade from the window I measured the bottom of the blind to the top when pulled completely down.

Then I lay the blind on the floor and measured that same distance, 60″, and marked the spot with a marker on both sides of the shade.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Enter my fun and funky fabric. It has a vintage/retro vibe to me, and I fell in love with it. I thrifted two double size flat sheets a while back for $1 a piece. I just knew I would find a use for them someday.

It’s a lightweight cotton which is perfect for this project. Anything too heavy wouldn’t work because the shade would become too bulky.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

I cut my sheet in half and 65″ long. This left me with a few inches to spare on either side and the bottom.

I hate ironing, so I didn’t even iron the fabric before starting… and it didn’t matter a bit.

Once I was sure I had my fabric where I wanted it with enough overage on all sides I started gluing it down.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

I turned the fabric up at the bottom of the blind about 8-10 inches and sprayed the adhesive.  I then pulled the fabric back into place, and smoothed it out with my hands

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Next I pulled the rest of the fabric back toward me to where I had sprayed the adhesive and I sprayed about another 8-10 inch area.

Then I gently moved the fabric into place and smoothed it down with my hands.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

I continued to do this along the shade.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Working my way slowly along, spraying and smoothing, spraying and smoothing.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

It’s important to make sure that there’s adhesive coverage all over the shade or the shade might not roll up properly.

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

 

Once I reached the top I then turned the shade over and trimmed the excess fabric from the sides, and bottom.

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Then I spray glued the edges down. This is what will be facing the street.

The spray adhesive that I used was Elmer’s Craft Bond. It’s what I had on hand and it worked great. I had a window open a bit to ventilate the room. It can be a little fumey because it’s rather a large project. The best scenario would be to do this outside, but with the crappy weather we’ve been having lately that was impossible. A garage would also be good.

The directions read that for a permanent bond surfaces should be adhered within 15 seconds so working fast is the key, which is why I did small sections at a time.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

I added  pink duct tape along the top of the blind where the cut fabric edge is. This gives it a nice edge and protects the fabric from fraying.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

According to the directions the adhesive needs about 1 hour to set, so I hung it up for a couple of hours.

Then I removed the shade, rolled it all the way up by hand, and installed it back on the brackets in the window for the big test.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

And it worked. Yay!!

My shade roller is visible at the top because hanging the shade this way makes it sit further back in the window, which means more light blockage.

No worries. My next project is an easy and inexpensive window valance to cover that up.

 

DIY Fabric Covered Vinyl Roller Shade

Here’s the before and after.

It’s so freakin’ cheerful. I love it!!

That wacky pink floral makes me chuckle every time I walk into this room. It’ll really cheer up the space on those freezing cold and sunlight-shortened days of winter, and that’s exactly what I want.

So it is possible to turn ugly duckling boring vinyl shades into beautiful unique swans, inexpensively, and tailored to your own style. In my case this makeover will cost about 50 cents a window. How’s that for thrifty?

So, one window down and two more to go… and then the window valances. Little by little this master bedroom makeover is getting done, and I’m having such fun.

If you enjoyed this project, you might also enjoy my kitchen faux tea towel roller shade makeover, and my living room vinyl blind makeover with spray paint and lace.

Have a fun and fabulous day, and until next time..,

Keep on keepin’ on.

 

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30 Comments

  1. Wow! I love 'em!!! So pretty…….and sheets? Brilliant!!! Dona

    1. Thanks so much Dona. Yes just sheets, and thrifted sheets at that. But any type of lightweight fabric would work too.

  2. That turned out great; from dull to Gorgeous windows and what an easy DIY project. Thank you for the great tutorial. Love your flowered fabric.
    I'm thinking why a person couldn't do the same on the back side of the shade only using a solid color to coincide with the front fabric; print on one side and solid fabric on the back or vice versa. I'm thinking of stripes on one side and match solid on the other.
    What I was wondering just how long the adhesive will last before the fabric starts coming loose from the shade.

  3. Great idea!!! I have blinds which I hate! These fabric covered window shades would be much prettier! I love how yours look Tuula! Great job!

  4. Oh, I love this, Tuula, and what a great tutorial! I prefer shades over all window coverings and you've figured out how to dress them up! They turned out really pretty!

  5. Excellent work! I know this process is probably much more difficult than you made it appear, yours look great.

  6. Love it! I had no idea you could cover a shade with fabric. They look fantastic and I love the print, too. Hard to feel anything but happy around pink 🙂
    Diana

  7. Oh. My. Goodness. You used spray adhesive on that beautiful floor? I would have had it all over the place. Love the shade, however. I knew you could add a little funk to that bedroom.

    1. Thanks Donna! Oh yes… I am funking it up all right… and the floor is just fine. I made sure the can was pointing in towards the blind when I sprayed. I had nowhere else to do this project so it was the bedroom or nothing. I would have loved to do it outside on the back deck but the weather here has been wet, cold, and downright miserable. I need this pink floral to keep me smiling.

  8. Thanks for sharing this. I've talked to hubs about doing this but he can't wrap his head around it. This will make it crystal clear, even to someone whose idea of decorating is giving walls their once every 20 years painting.:-)

  9. I love that funky pink floral and it looks fabulous on the shade! Pink perfection…:)

  10. Pure genius!! I would have been afraid that it wouldn't have rolled back up but you did it girl. Love the pinkness of it all. So bright and definitely cheery!

  11. I love this idea! Plus I adore the fabric choice too! Sorry I haven't commented lately, but I am trying to get back into the swing of things. 🙂

  12. Wow! What a great idea and a super detailed how to! I love that you went bold with the fabric! I love drama in decorating and you certainly have it here! Pinning this for sure! 🙂

    1. The vinyl shades were bothering me so much that I figured I had nothing to lose. It really did work, and now I'm thinking of getting vinyl shades for all the windows that don't have them. They don't just help with the morning light, but also help keep the house cooler in the summer which means less A/C when it gets hot.

  13. I love this project! I am getting ready to redo my bedroom (after I finish the laundry room ;o) and I was trying to think of something to replace the hideous blue mini blinds that are in there. I was leaning toward match-stick blinds but they aren't that great for privacy so I may use this idea instead!

    Tania

  14. Tuula, the sheet is perfect. The blind turned out simply darling! I've used that glue before and it does work great. Can't wait to see the valance. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

  15. Evelyn Bailey says:

    Thank you for such a great solution . Excellent photos and details are very much appreciated. Also saving $$$$. Kind regards from Canada

    1. Thanks Evelyn! I’m so glad you found this project helpful. Kind regards right back to you from Ontario Canada.

  16. Cindy Marley says:

    I am so glad that i came across this “how to”. I have been considering this for quite some time as i have roll up blinds throughout the home and want to simplify the window treatments, eliminating curtains. Between being busy ( and a bit chicken), this project has been on my back burner for at least 2-3 years.
    Thank you for the step by step “how to”.
    regards, Cindy M in northern Nevada, USA

    1. You’re so welcome Cindy! I’m super happy that my project has inspired you. 🙂

  17. I’m trying to brighten up our little home a bit when I can as I care for my very poorly partner so time and money are in short supply lol. I just found your great tutorial and I’m going to start with my grotty bathroom blind! Thank you for the amazing idea.

    1. You’re so welcome Vanessa! I’m sure you’ll love your blind when it’s done. 🙂