where to buy curtains (drapes, panel, color, Lowes)

[ShannonMilligan]

i also put this in the virginia forum, but does anyone know where is the best place to buy curtains? i have tried sears, penny's, crate and barrel, pottery barn, west elm, lowes, bed bath and beyong, linens and things...i want a striped curtain that the main color is blonde/caramel or green with a fine red stripe...I will probably have to get them made, but if I can find a good place to check I would rather do that. I did order some samples from country curtains, but have yet to get them. any ideas where else to look?

[Briolat21]

Pennys will do custom and usually has a good price for pretty good quality. I have always gone with them... If they're no help, look and see if you can find a local seamstress who will custom make them - then you can just pick the fabric you like.

[cdelena]

I have had very good luck buying online. Take a look at FabricWorkroom.com and Fashion Window Treatments.

[TheImportersWife]

I've ordered drapes from DrapeStyle.com.

[cynwldkat]

I found the only way I could get exactly what I wanted and to fit my windows perfectly was to have them made by a seamstress. Be aware they are very costly that way!! But you do get what you want and they last a very long time if you use good material and have a good seamstress.

[harborlady]

When price and variety are in question, Marburn curtain has provided everything I could want. Locations are limited to NY NJ and PA, and apparently they don't do online sales.

Custom work could pay for sewing lessons and a new sewing machine. Curtains are about the easiest thing to create. Fabric mills provide infinite choices, but ironically, there are many times I've found ready made curtains being cheaper than fabric by the yard. I've made custom slipcovers for a trundle bed using 1,000 thread count queen size flat sheets that were on clearance from marburn.

[tao]

Here's something from Country Curtains (Laura's Stripe Tailored Curtains:
http://www.countrycurtains.com/images/us/local/products/viewlarger/011350361_lg.jpg (broken link)

Bandera Striped Panels from JC Penney:


Daria Stripe Silk Set of 2 Lined Window Panels from smartbargains.com:


You could also try fabric stores (Joann's Fabrics - joann.com - or MoodFabrics.com or FabricShack.com or hancockfabrics.com or some other fabric store - try googling "fabric stores and you'll get loads of store links) and if you can sew, buy however much material you need and hem the top, bottom, and sides of each panel and then use those new curtain clips to hang them from the rod or make rod pocket panels or tab panels, whichever you prefer. If you can't sew you can have the fabric store or a seamstress make you curtains, though it would probably be expensive. They make a no sew tape now for hemming so you could try that if you go for the curtain hung on curtain clips. Here's a pic of curtain clips:

http://images.crateandbarrel.com/is/image/CrateandBarrel/CurtainRingWClipS7Black?$lg$ (broken link)

[harborlady]

nice, tao. I think they did away with that no sew hem tape because it doesn't hold up in the dryer very well (in my experience anyway).

sewing isnt that hard, but they have classes at joannes fabrics, and I'll bet someone who just got skills wouldnt mind making a few bucks. Maybe they'd allow you to post for a sewing job in the store? just a thought.

[Ann Alison]

Try Target. I've seen quite a few there I liked.

[mdtoaz]

You may even want to try Ikea. I think there's one at Potomac Mills (not sure what part of VA you're in). Or you can order stuff online. The store up here in Tempe has fabric that they sell too, so you could get that and have them made.

I haven't looked to see if they have what you're looking for, but we've had pretty good luck getting curtains from them.