if the fabric is lightweight I think this will be a fine solution. Have fun !!

If you moved to a large apartment complex and there are blinds up at the window, they have to stay...lease rules. You put your drapes over those and stack the blinds back so you don't have to look at them.

Here is another route to take from someone who has rented and now owns a condo with the perverbial patio door and vertical blinds...I'm stuck with them, condo rules.

First, you need a one way draw drape rod that you can set to draw back back on either side of the window, so this rod will suit your needs with minimal muss or fuss or use a pole rod with clips you pull back yourself without need for drape cord...all the discount stores have them in various styles and finishes.

Second, for drapes, you need a patio door drape. The stores and catalogs have them and are not that expensive. It is a one piece drape that stacks the direction you want to stack it. The alternative is to buy a pair, and overlap where the ends meet, I do this with a pair of sheers, pin hooks, a tilter wand that slides the drapes back, and a long plain sheer rod..it works for me and hides the vertical blinds during the day, I need the verticals at night for privacy.

If you want red drapes, they will have to be lined because the drape must show white or beige from the outside...lease and condo rules dictate this most of the time, and you also have to consider the sun and light fade factor...red fades fast when not lined so you have to line the drapes to keep them from fading.

Mirren - Here are some random thoughts on your project.

1. There are patio door drapery rods that are centrally supported so you can have a one-way draw. You can find them in hardware or better drapery fabric stores.

2. Depending on the weight of the fabric, the swing-arm rods may sag at the unattached end, too.

3. You can find bargains in patio door coverings (draperies) at thrift stores. Just be sure to take your measurements and a tape measure with you! I suggest this as you say you may not be staying at this location.

4. Red fabric tends to fade if not lined, so even if you make your draperies as you describe above (doubling it), the side to the outdoors will probably fade.

Mirren - I know you wanted RED, but just as an example of what you might find on eBay, here is an auction for "4 panels of lined in white cotton rod pocket curtains. They are made by Croscill. They are 70 percent polyester & 30 percent cotton. They have weighted bottoms. Each panel is 40 inches wide & 86 inches long." They are deep rose in color.

The starting bid is $6.99 with no bids yet! Such a bargain!

I'm sure if you did an eBay search, you'd find others at equal or better price and just the ticket for your windows.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lined Curtains on eBay

Thank you all for your replies, ideas and encouragement.

I am in a large apartment complex but there were no blinds on the windows when we moved in. The rules say NO FLAGS FOR CURTAINS. LOL It really is a nice building and I was surprised no blinds.

Anyway this morning I bought a traverse rod which pulls one way - to the left - which is what I want. I also bought the fabric. The door is 81" high and 64" wide including the frame. So I bought nine meters at 45" wide. So I am thinking 3 meters across and 3 meters up and down. My friend is going to make this panel for me. Now it will be one panel. I don't want pleats for the traverse rod so I am going to attach the rings SOMEHOW to the little traverse rod holes and then clip the rings to the panel. There must be little somethings you can get to attach the rings. If not I will sew them to the plastic things on the rod.
This fabric is very pretty. It was $8.99 a meter marked down 40%. So I also bought broadcloth for lining at $1.00 per meter marked down 40%. That is what my friend told me to get. So I drop it all off to her with measurements tomorrow morning and she will get started. I hope to post pictures when it is done. Thanks again.