All I want is for my kitchen to feel cozy. I’ve been loving the cottagecore trend lately, and to really embrace it, that means layering in soft textures and sweet fabrics. So today, I’m making a DIY oven curtain! There’s absolutely no practical need for this project—but if your oven or dishwasher isn’t quite as cute as you’d like, this one’s for you.
For my version, I’m sewing a little skirt that ties onto the oven handle. It’s like a mini curtain for your appliance—simple, removable, and full of charm. You could also use a magnetic rod instead of ties if that’s easier for your setup. My stove isn’t magnetic, so this is the simplest option for me.
SUPPLIES
step 1- Measure Your Oven
Before you start cutting, grab a measuring tape. My oven is 30″ wide and 32″ tall, and from the floor to the top of the handle is 31″. These measurements will help determine how long to make your skirt so it drapes just right without dragging on the floor.
For this project I’m using a rainbow stripe seersucker fabric because I think the colors and texture will look really cute in this section of my kitchen. Gingham or floral fabric would also be a very nice choice.
step 2- Create the Curtain Panels
For my DIY oven cover, I’m making two panels so I can easily open them to peek at my food while it bakes. I cut two fabric pieces measuring 33″ long by the width of the fabric (mine is 42″ wide). The 33″ length includes two extra inches to account for seam allowances—one inch at the top and one at the bottom.
Next, I ironed over the fabric ½”, then folded it another ½” for a clean double hem. After pressing, I sewed along the folded edges to create crisp, polished hems. Repeat this process for the top, bottom, and both sides of each panel.
step 3- Gather the Curtain Panels
I really like the look of a gathered skirt, so I bought some pleating tape.
All you do with this is stitch it to the top of each curtain panel. Stitch along the top and bottom edges of the tape, being careful not to sew over the gathering strings inside.
Once the tape is attached, gently pull the strings to create gathers.
I like to keep a measuring tape nearby so I can gather each panel to the exact width I need. For me, that meant 15″ for each panel since my stove is 30″ wide. When the gathers look right, stitch over the strings on both ends of the pleating tape to secure them in place and then cut the excess length on the gathering strings.
step 4- Make the Ties
For this project, I’m using fabric ties to attach the skirt to the oven handle. To make them, cut 16 strips of fabric measuring 3″ x 17″.
I originally thought I’d need 10 sets of ties, but I ended up only using eight sets.
Fold each strip in half lengthwise (hot dog style) and cut one end at a 45-degree angle for a nice finished look.
Sew along the open edge and angled end.
Then turn the tie right-side out. This step can be a little tedious, so I highly recommend using a loop turner—it makes the process much easier!
Once all your ties are turned, press them flat with an iron so they look crisp and neat.
Step 5- Attach the Ties to the Skirt
Use pins to attach the ties evenly along the top edge of the skirt. I layered two ties together for each spot so they can tie securely around the oven handle. Once pinned, take the panels to your sewing machine and stitch the ties in place.
This part can be slow, especially if you’re using a thicker fabric, but take your time so everything stays straight and secure.
after
When you’re done, simply tie the skirt onto your oven handle—and that’s it! You now have the world’s cutest stove skirt.
It’s so sweet and adds the perfect cozy touch to the kitchen.
I’ll admit, I second-guessed my fabric choice and wish I’d gone with a bigger pattern, but overall, it turned out so cute.
🔥 Fire Safety
Before we wrap up, let’s talk fire safety! Anytime you’re decorating near an appliance that gets hot, it’s important to use caution. Make sure your oven curtain doesn’t cover or block any vents—those are needed for proper airflow. The fabric should hang freely and not touch the oven door or heating elements. When you’re baking or broiling at high temperatures, it’s best to remove the curtain completely just to be safe.
I used natural cotton fabric, which is less likely to melt than synthetic materials, but still—this project is more about looks than function. So decorate thoughtfully and use at your own risk (lol)!
price breakdown
For this project, I spent $20 on fabric and $10 on pleating tape, so $30. I feel like it was worth it for such a charming result!
Update- I put the skirt on and really liked it. But after living with it a few days, I’m not in love. I wish I’d chosen a more bold fabric like a buffalo check. It’s almost like the colors of the fabric don’t read as rainbow, but more as a muddy grey from far away. So I think I’ll re-do the skirt. When I do, I’ll share the results here.
Another change that I’m planning to make is to make the skirt shorter so it’s easier to get into the bottom of the stove. It’s cute as it touches the ground, but not so practical.
update
As I noted above, I wasn’t happy with the oven skirt. So I ordered a buffalo check/ gingham table cloth to make a new one. For this version, I only make one panel. This time I cut it to 23″ long so it’d hit just above the oven drawer. And I cut it to 60″ wide so it’d be twice as wide as the oven for nice draping (but not as full as before).
I cut the end off the 60″ wide tablecloth which was really nice because that made it so 3 ends were already hemmed! I finished the remaining side and then sewed pleating tape across the top.
That was then gathered to 28″ wide (the widest part of my stove handle where this will be tied on). I then cut 10 ties (I used the same measurements and instructions above). That will create 5 sets of tie to attach the oven curtain to the stove handle.
At each end, in the center, and halfway between those points I pinned on the tie sets. Then I took them to the sewing machine and stitched them in place.
As a cute finishing touch, I decided to add some ruffled eyelet trim to the bottom of the stove skirt. I had some on hand and it gives it a really sweet detail. Then I tied it onto the oven to see it all done!
I’m really happy with how it came out this time! I think the colors are nice in the room and it looks adorable!
The bows at the top are very sweet! And with the buffalo check and the lace, it feels like the perfect Cottagecore touch.
When I posted this people were concerned about safety, and as I mentioned, if it’s a concern, please don’t try this. Another option is to take it down when the stove is in use. To me, it’s like a big dish cloth hanging there that I’m very careful with. But I understand if that’s not how you see things.
But I hope you like how it looks as much as I do! If you have questions, please let me know in the comments.
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