Home & Garden Ikea curtains

sdkitty

O.G.
Jan 16, 2006
39,610
91,776
I got two different Ikea curtains - Vivan and Lenda. I was so excited that they were nice and so much less expensive than others. But I realized when I got them home they were way too long. People online said you should wash them first, dry them and they will shrink up to five inches and not evenly. So one panel may be longer than another.

Washing instructions say they should not go in the dryer.
Anyone have experience with these? I was wondering if I want them to shrink should I put them in the dryer?
 
What's the fiber content?
the Vivan ones are 100% cotton and I just read someone online put them in the dryer. Said they came out wrinkled but OK.
the Lenda ones I don't have here to look at fabric content and can't find online but I think they're a blend. People online said they washed and dried and they shrunk. Not sure if that meant they put them in the dryer. The part that kind of worried me was they said they shrunk unevenly. Suggested you hang them on the rods and then measure your length on each panel.
 
the Vivan ones are 100% cotton and I just read someone online put them in the dryer. Said they came out wrinkled but OK.
the Lenda ones I don't have here to look at fabric content and can't find online but I think they're a blend. People online said they washed and dried and they shrunk. Not sure if that meant they put them in the dryer. The part that kind of worried me was they said they shrunk unevenly. Suggested you hang them on the rods and then measure your length on each panel.

At 100 percent cotton they'll almost certainly shrink. Unless the manufacturer has pre-washed them which in this day and age is possible but not likely. In the past the rule of thumb was that anything with more than 35 percent cotton content would shrink. Nylon, rayon, polyester don't usually shrink.


Yeah, uneven shrinkage is a problem. In years past my mom and I were constantly grappling with draperies that had come back from the dry cleaners with wildly uneven hems from shrinkage. They would have to be re-hemmed. So that's a risk you're going to have. How good are you with a needle? ;) When I pre-shrink drapery fabric, or any fabric for that matter, I put it through the wash machine as well as the dryer. The moisture and churning of the fibers is more responsible for shrinkage than just being tossed in a hot dryer. Trying to stretch a fabric into an even shape after shrinking doesn't usually work.
 
At 100 percent cotton they'll almost certainly shrink. Unless the manufacturer has pre-washed them which in this day and age is possible but not likely. In the past the rule of thumb was that anything with more than 35 percent cotton content would shrink. Nylon, rayon, polyester don't usually shrink.


Yeah, uneven shrinkage is a problem. In years past my mom and I were constantly grappling with draperies that had come back from the dry cleaners with wildly uneven hems from shrinkage. They would have to be re-hemmed. So that's a risk you're going to have. How good are you with a needle? ;) When I pre-shrink drapery fabric, or any fabric for that matter, I put it through the wash machine as well as the dryer. The moisture and churning of the fibers is more responsible for shrinkage than just being tossed in a hot dryer. Trying to stretch a fabric into an even shape after shrinking doesn't usually work.
I'm not good with a needle at all and I don't have a sewing machine. At the price I paid for these, I could pay someone to hem them but if they're going to be very uneven maybe it's more trouble than it's worth. My original intention was to get some online that cost $400+; these were $80 - big difference. But probably the more expensive ones would be preshrunk and they come in the length we need.
 
I'm not good with a needle at all and I don't have a sewing machine. At the price I paid for these, I could pay someone to hem them but if they're going to be very uneven maybe it's more trouble than it's worth. My original intention was to get some online that cost $400+; these were $80 - big difference. But probably the more expensive ones would be preshrunk and they come in the length we need.

For $80, heck that's a good price. I don't know what Ikea's return policy is like, but some stores will accept returns of items that have shrunken in the wash. You might give it a try. Put them through the washer and dryer and see what you end up with. If the shrinkage is uneven return them. More expensive drapes are not necessarily pre-shrunk.
 
For $80, heck that's a good price. I don't know what Ikea's return policy is like, but some stores will accept returns of items that have shrunken in the wash. You might give it a try. Put them through the washer and dryer and see what you end up with. If the shrinkage is uneven return them. More expensive drapes are not necessarily pre-shrunk.
that's what I was thinking.....I don't know how liberal Ikea is with returns but one set would only be a $20 gamble. Can you believe that? $20 for two 55" panels

that's the heavier pair...the Vivan ones are $10 for two panels
 
that's what I was thinking.....I don't know how liberal Ikea is with returns but one set would only be a $20 gamble. Can you believe that? $20 for two 55" panels

that's the heavier pair...the Vivan ones are $10 for two panels

That is a fantastic deal! I would definitely give them a shot even if Ikea won't return them if they shrink in an odd way.


Years ago I bought some tab curtains for our bedroom from a big box home improvement store. They were a heavy jacquard and only $20 for a set of two floor-length panels. When I laundered them....omigosh! They shrunk from 4-6 inches in length. The hems ended up wildly uneven. Even worse, the tab tops of the curtains ended up weirdly uneven. One of the windows was behind our bed so that was no problem. But the other set of uneven curtains....let's just say I had to spend some serious time with a scissors and measuring devices trying to get them to hang evenly. I swagged scarves across the top to mask the weird shrinkage on top. I didn't want to have to re-sew all the tabs. But the curtains were only $20 a set.
 
That is a fantastic deal! I would definitely give them a shot even if Ikea won't return them if they shrink in an odd way.


Years ago I bought some tab curtains for our bedroom from a big box home improvement store. They were a heavy jacquard and only $20 for a set of two floor-length panels. When I laundered them....omigosh! They shrunk from 4-6 inches in length. The hems ended up wildly uneven. Even worse, the tab tops of the curtains ended up weirdly uneven. One of the windows was behind our bed so that was no problem. But the other set of uneven curtains....let's just say I had to spend some serious time with a scissors and measuring devices trying to get them to hang evenly. I swagged scarves across the top to mask the weird shrinkage on top. I didn't want to have to re-sew all the tabs. But the curtains were only $20 a set.
I'm not as handy as you are. I'll probably try it and if they're very uneven, try returning them.
thanks for the advice Sue
 
Do they stay on after washing? I called a local alteration place and she said she'd do them for $6 per panel. At that price, the curtains would still be cheap.

Omg,
$6 a panel is a steal.
The adhesive stuff would cost you more.:smile:
And your curtains will look more finished if sawn.