I recently purchased curtains, 84" length, for my living room. I have always used this length with no problems but these new ones seem to be overly long by maybe 2-3". I don't want to raise my rods because when I change to others, which I do approx. 3 times a year, I will then have to lower them again. I also don't want to have to take them down and hem them because I don't have a sewing machine. They would be ok with a little puddling but I have a cat that will play in them and probably make holes in the fabric. Is there any product that I could use to shorten the length but not remove from windows? Something that would be invisible and also easy to do. Since they are in the living room, I don't want them to look make-shift. I have six panels to do this for. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
They sell fabric tape at craft and sewing stores that I used to hem some curtains I had that were too long. Be careful when applying it. Once you put it down it's stuck!
You could probably use the iron-on hem tape while they're still hanging, if you're willing to take a lot of time doing it small section by small section. Otherwise, the previously mentioned tape or maybe a lot of safety pins equally spaced across the hem, if the pins wouldn't harm the fabric by leaving holes. If all else fails, raise the roof.
If they're up for looks and not privacy, you could use tie backs and blouson them up a few inches. That's all I can think of other than what others have said.
I'm not sure how you have them hanging, but maybe you could use some tie-backs to pull them up a bit. You could kind of blouse them over the tie-backs, if that makes any sense.
Iron on hemming tape. Grab a table, a towel, the hemming tape and your iron. You can use hem clips or some other way to keep the hems even. Lift the panel, place atop the small table with a towel between the curtain fabric and the iron. Fold the bottom so you can see the back side if the drapes. Use the hem clips or some way to fold and mark your measurements on the fabric back. Now just iron on. I have also done this by hand-sewing hems with the drapes still hanging. Sometimes reversing which is the hem and which is the top allows you to add or subtract inches from the length.
Style Snaps or Snap n Hem would be perfect for your purpose. Particularly for your drapes, since you are likely to set them and leave them for a while. Do a Google. Also, perhaps with something like this (http://www.amazon.com/STAINLESS-STEEL-RULER-HEM-CLIPS/dp/B00528IGRE) to help get the length just so while the curtains are still hanging?