The most practical window treatment for small windows throughout the home and ideal for the kitchen and bathroom. Roller blinds, or roller shades as they are sometimes known, use a minimal amount of fabric, lay flat against the window and roll up to let a maximum amount of light into the room. Best mounted inside the window recess roller blinds can be teamed up with curtains, valances, pelmets and swags and tails to give a coordinating look.
Most roller blinds are made from kits which come in a range of sizes up to 8 feet (245 cms) wide but if the size of your window falls between sizes buy the next size up and cut it to size after the brackets have been fitted. Specially stiffened, spongeable fabrics can be bought by the metre and are available up to 69 inches (175 cms) wide. This makes joining widths of fabric unnecessary in most cases as bulky seams can impair the working of the blind. Other fabrics can be used but should be closely woven, lightweight and colourfast. These will need to be stiffened with an aerosol spray or dipped into liquid stiffening solution before they are cut to size as this process may cause the fabric to shrink but it does stop the fabric from fraying which omits the need for side hems.
These free illustrated instructions will enable you to make your own roller blinds.

Measuring Up:

Inside the recess: measure the width and the length of the window recess.

Outside the recess: add a minimum of 4" (10 cms) to outside width of the window frame and a minimum of 6" (15 cms) to the outside length of the widow.

Requirements:

Suitable fabric 2" (5 cms) wider than measured width (this will be trimmed later) and at least 8" (20 cms) longer than the measured length to allow enough fabric to cover the roller at the top and the batten at the bottom.

Roller blind kit. This normally consists of wooden roller, brackets, end caps, pins, wooden batten, cord holder and acorn.

Fabric glue.

Set square, ruler and sharp scissors.

Fabric stiffener (if required).

Double sided adhesive tape approximately ½" (13 mm) wide.

Making the roller blind:

Press fabric and stiffen if necessary.

Screw brackets into position, 1¼" (3 cms) down from the top inside the recess and 2" (5 cms) above the window outside the recess. Make sure the square slot bracket is on the left hand side and through round pin hole bracket is on the right hand side for the blind to roll down from behind the roller.

Measure the exact width between the brackets and cut the bare end of the roller to this size.

Fit the end cap to the cut end and secure with the pin.

Place the roller in the brackets to make sure it fits.

Working on a flat surface cut the fabric to size. It is essential that the sides are straight and at right angles to the top and bottom edges.

With wrong side facing turn up 1½" (4 cms) at bottom edge and glue in place along the cut edge leaving a casing for the batten.

Cut the batten ½" (13 mm) shorter than the width of the blind.

Slide batten into casing and glue ends.

Measure across the casing and mark the centre.

Thread the cord through the acorn and knot. Thread the opposite end through the cord holder and knot.

Screw the cord holder to the centre of the casing.

Remove the roller from the brackets and mark a straight line along it's length.

Position a length of double sided adhesive tape carefully along the marked line.

Lay the blind, right side up, on a flat surface.

Lay the roller across the top edge of the blind with the spring mechanism on the left.

Press the fabric onto the adhesive tape making sure it is straight on the marked line and at right angles to the roller.

Secure with staples or tacks evenly along the length.

Roll up blind by hand, slot into brackets and pull blind down.

Repeat step 19 until required tension is achieved.