Say Goodbye To Boring Curtain Ties — A DIY That'll Look Great In A Kids Room

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When you hear "curtain ties," you probably think of those over-priced decorative ropes or the bejeweled metallic rings that resemble giant cuff bracelets. There are also kid-friendly ones that are designed to look like cute animals or cartoon characters, but they can cost upwards of $40. Luckily there's another adorable option that you can DIY practically for free as long as you have the right materials. Influencer Bek Marsden took to Instagram to demonstrate how to instantly revamp curtains by creating giant snap clip barrettes to act as tiebacks in a playroom. She credits artist Ann Sofie with the original idea that inspired her project. One person commented, "Kids playroom? I need it for MY ROOM!", and honestly, this craft could definitely be given an adult makeover using sophisticated fabric prints or color schemes.

Regardless of what space you're making them for, this stylish curtain tieback DIY requires fabric cutting scissors (to cut clean lines through cloth without causing it to fray), the fabric of your choosing (you can even use old clothes to save on costs), and cardboard sheets for crafting (or even leftover Amazon boxes or unused presentation boards). You'll also need a hot glue gun and hot glue sticks, and a tape measure. A ruler may also be helpful for creating a uniform outline, but Marsden uses a children's book and it does the job just as well. Let the kids get in on the fun by tasking them with decorating the completed barrettes with things like rhinestones, ribbons, stickers, or craft pom pom balls. This could even be used as a fun activity for a themed birthday party or sleepover.

Measure your curtains first before you get started. They should be fully pulled back and gathered how they would normally be so you can get a better idea of how thick they are and how long the barrette should be to close around the curtain panel. You can also use a tape measure to get a rough estimate of the curtain's width and depth when bunched up. This will make it easier to create a precise cardboard outline. When in doubt, always make the barrette longer than you think you'll need it to be — it's better than it being too short. Ann Sofie has a detailed tutorial on Instagram with tips on how to make the giant barrettes from cardboard.

In both Bek Marsden and Sofie's tutorials, they don't show any securing method. One commenter asked, "And it does actually like 'snap' to hold stuff like a curtain with only following this tutorial? No magnets necessary?" Sofie confirmed that it does without any necessary reinforcements, implying that the shape and construction of the barrette plays a key role in how it functions. If you want to err on the safe side, fix velcro tape to the ends of the clip. Amazon sells Navona Hook and Loop Strips for under $12 at the time of writing. But where do you put the homemade tie backs when it's time to close the curtains? Attach an additional piece of velcro to the underside of the clip and on the wall next to the curtains. This way, you can "unsnap" the curtain tie and stick it to the wall for safekeeping — it could even act as another playful wall feature to dress up a child's room.