Easy (Really!!) Fabric Blinds

When I first saw Jenny from LGN's post on this awesome DIY project for mini-blinds, I immediately sent the link to family and friends, and starting scheming which windows in my home to tackle. Two of my sisters have since used them in their homes (which we'll share with you later!), and as for our house, I decided on the front door.

To be clear, we're talking about the equivalent of custom roman shades ($$$$) at an extremely budget-friendly price! The mini-blinds, I found at Target for less than $4, and of course you can choose to spend as little or as much as you like on the fabric - but that's the great thing - it's totally up to you. It's not a bad project to splurge just a bit for nice fabric, since you don't need much. I was considering this myself until....

I stumbled upon the perfect fabric at Goodwill, of all places! Who knew they carry fabric? I found it hanging with tablecloths and other textiles, and really couldn't believe this steal of a deal! I paid $2.49 for probably about a yard and a half of fabric.

I won't provide the detailed instructions since you can find them so perfectly laid out by Jenny (again, here), but you must know that it's really VERY easy. I'm not particularly skilled at handy projects, so trust me when I say that you to can follow along step-by-step, and end up with some super-cute and budget-friendly window coverings for your home. :)

Here's a photo summary of my little project...

it was kind of exciting to cut apart the blinds - something i wouldn't have dared to do without external encouragement :)

shows you how the fabric is folded under for the corner section

For an embarrassingly long time, we had this temporary shade on the front door....

And here it is now!

Yay! I'm so grateful to Jenny for dissecting a mini-blind and figuring out how to make this work! Mine could use a fabric liner for the back, to give it a more finished look - I'll get to that someday. :) Take my word for it - you can make custom fabric shades for your home! (for my local friends - i'm happy to help if you're interested. :))