Not Ties, Not Tassels: The Affordable Alternative That Makes Curtains Beautiful

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Other than beautiful furniture, another thing that draws the eye when you walk into a living room is the curtains. Not only do they provide privacy and regulate natural light, but these bolts of fabric are a stylish adornment that adds to your overall home decor. To add more oomph to these window treatments, many people typically go for tie-backs and tassels. Those are all great, but why not try something different? One affordable handmade option is turning claw clips into cute decorative curtain ties. That's what Instagrammer @seema_art_house did. 

Instead of throwing away a broken flower hair claw clip, the creator removed the teeth, attached a bit of string, and used it to tie back her curtains. We love the fact that it's a quick and easy DIY, and there are few things as satisfying as using creative ways to repurpose old or unwanted items you'd otherwise throw away. 

So, to recreate this DIY solution, gather any uniquely shaped claw clips you no longer use. Select clips with matching designs for a more uniform look, unless you prefer a mismatched style. If you don't have any on hand, you can buy a pack for less than $10 on Amazon, like these Messen 12-Piece Flower Claw Clips or CASDRE Shell Hair Claw Clips. Go for larger-sized clips if you can, so they can stand out on the pulled-back curtains. You'll also need thread or yarn, a small piece of thin fabric, and a strong craft adhesive. For tools, get a pair of scissors and pliers with a wire cutter at the tip. 

Start by separating the two sides of the claw clip by removing the hinge pin at the center. Next, cut the teeth from each clip using pliers with a cutting edge. Once the clips are nice and smooth, you're ready to attach the thread. First, cut your thread into two equal lengths. Each piece should be long enough to wrap around the gathered curtain with extra length left for tying a knot. Also, cut two small fabric circles about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in diameter — large enough to cover the middle section of the clip.

Apply glue to the center of the clip's inner surface, attach the thread at the midpoint, then place the small fabric circle on top to reinforce the hold. Repeat the process with the remaining clips and make as many tiebacks as needed. And that's all there is to this DIY. Once the glue has dried, use the thread to put on the improvised curtain tieback. 

For the sake of cohesion, consider the color and pattern of your curtains when choosing the color of the thread and, perhaps most importantly, the claw clip. If you don't have the color of clips you'd like, you can easily spray paint the ones you have to match the rest of your decor. Also, instead of thread, you could also use colorful ribbon, or get jute twine if you're going for a rustic look. You can also choose differently shaped claw clips to match your decor theme, such as flower clips for a floral look or shell-shaped clips for a beach-inspired style.