Annie Sloan made these drapes for her studio using a stone-coloured linen which she dyed, painted and stencilled with Chalk Paint®, before finishing with a single curtain tape to make them hang in a loose, casual way.

This curtain hangs in Annie Sloan’s Studio in Oxford. It was made using a simple linen fabric the colour of stone (try Annie’s Linen Union in Old White + French Linen fabric for a similar effect).

Using a bath dedicated to dyeing fabric in her studio (you could use a large bucket in replacement), Annie poured Chalk Paint® in Château Grey into tepid water. She used approximately 40 litres of water (you just need enough to make certain the fabric is well covered and so you can swish it around easily) and added about 1/3 of a litre pot of Chalk Paint®. She stirred thoroughly to ensure the paint was completely dispersed. She then immersed the curtain in the dye solution ensuring all was covered and left for around 2-3 minutes.

This is not a definitive recipe because the amount of water and paint will depend on the type and colour of fabric you use, as well as the colour of the paint you choose. The best practice is to test with a much smaller ratio first with your chosen fabric and colour.

Once the curtain was dry Annie laid it flat on a table. Using masking tape she created wide stripes on the fabric and used more Château Grey to fill them in. This time she diluted the colour only slightly but enough that the paint would run smoothly and thinly. If the paint is too thick, the fabric will be stiff and hard when dry. Too watery and the paint will run under the tape and end up with blurred lines. Allow the paint to dry before removing the masking tape.

Finishing touches came with stencilling. Using the Branches Stencil and Old Violet, Annie applied the design down the painted stripes using a Sponge Roller. She then added the Circles Stencil and Old White down the centre of the Château Grey stripe.

Finally Annie hung it on a curtain pole and rings painted with Chalk Paint® in Old White.