I would hem the bottom as there are stabilizing materials at the top to give it stiffness and shape that you don't want to lose.

Typically hem them to just skim the floor...not drag...but no significant gap.

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I like the length to be about 1/2 inch above the floor.

Just touching the floor or 1/4" off the floor. No more than that. Hem the bottom, not the top.

Does your machine have any other stitches besides straight stitch? If it has a hem stitch, you may find that easier and it will give a better look. My blind hem foot is different from hers...mine just has one side more elevated than the other. But this is easy and quick to do and yields a better result than a seam that shows.

ok, thanks for info on length!

so, yes, I have a fairly new, fairly good machine, it does have the blind hem foot. and thank you Annie for the video, watched it, it does seem pretty straightforward, enough that I'm willing to give it a go. I just spent a lot of money on these drapes and I don't want to mess them up!

So I take it no one has ever shortened from the top? It doesnt feel like there is any stabilizer or anything in the top? Don't want to sound contrary but would you possibly advise shortening from the top after seeing pics? (fwiw, I know they have not been ironed yet, I will do that before hemming)

Well, if there isn't any stabilizer in the top, then you can shorten from the top, but then I'd add buckram to it to give it the proper stiffness and support for the hooks you want to use....it will yield a much nicer looking top. They make it in iron on as well as sew on. But you want to be sure you'll have enough fabric to do it right.

Timely post Miss TKO. Ten minutes ago I finished hemming new panels for our dining room. They were 93" long and I need them to be 86". Opninion's vary about length. I prefer to have the panels touch the floor but not "puddle". I hung them, pinned them and then used fuse tape to hem them. They are nothing fancy, but I am happy with the result.

I agree with justshady - just touching floor or no more than 1/4" off floor.

Miss TKO, to confuse the matter even more....have you considered using the tabs on the back of the curtains instead of the rings? You may not need to hem them at all. My daughter put hers up using the tabs, they looked better then I would have guessed.

About hemming from the top, removing the top tabs to get a nice hem will be a pain.

ML

I'm in the "just touch the floor" camp too.

Great job Bonnie, they look nice!

Maddie, I did try the tabs in hopes that I'd be able to return the rings and save a bit of money, I didn't like it, they looked saggy and much less formal. and I like the super smooth function of the rings, I do open and close these frequently.

Researching buckram, thanks again Annie.