Blackout lined curtains are a must for kids' bedrooms, especially in the summer when it's light till late and the sun's up early.  With a little effort, you can ensure a good night's sleep for your little ones.  You don't need to be an expert seamstress to complete this project, which can be finished in just an afternoon.

Here's how to make blackout curtains. 

What you'll need

• curtain fabric
• blackout lining
• sewing machine
• thread
• iron and ironing board
• fabric scissors
• pins

All the above can be bought from a good haberdashery or department store, like Miraje Home Decor & Soft Furnishings.

How to do it

1. Your first job is to work out the measurements for your curtains and note down your findings.  Begin by determining the length of the curtains.  Measure from the curtain pole down to the floor, and add on an extra 30 cm.  
2. Now you need to work out the width of one curtain.  To do so, measure the width of the whole window frame, and then double it.  
3. Cut out the curtain fabric as per your measurements.  
4. Measure up the blackout lining using the measurements you took for the curtains and adding 2 cm all around.  
5. Iron a 2 cm hem along each side of the vertical edge of both fabric curtain panels.  
6. Now take the blackout lining and place one vertical edge underneath the fold on one side of the curtain panel.  Pin it and then stitch it into place.  Cut the excess from the other side of the blackout lining and tuck it neatly under the curtain fabric fold.  Pin and stitch into place.  
7. Next you need to stitch the top of the panel.  Cut off about 2 cm of the blackout lining across the top to remove excess bulk.  Fold over about 4 cm of the curtain fabric and iron into place.  Fold over again another 4 cm to form a pocket for the curtain pole.  Before you stitch it, check that the curtain pole fits by sliding it into the pocket.  If necessary, fold over a little more fabric to accommodate the pole and then stitch it into place.  
8. Now, hang the curtains on the curtain pole and decide how long you want them to be.  Pin the length you want along the bottom edge of the curtains.  
9. Take the curtains down again.  Fold over a 2 cm hem and iron it into place.  Fold over the same amount again, iron and stitch into place.
10. Finish off by giving the curtains a press to remove any creases, and hang them up.