The window in our dining room is a primary source of natural light, so we like to leave the blinds open at the bottom. However, I've always disliked how you can see in so clearly at night when the lights are on. After finding a film reel of a movie trailer, I decided I had found the perfect way to block the view without blocking the light. It's crazy cool, totally functional, and easy to do.

Materials:

Film strip (I got mine at an antique store for $3. Bonus points if you can tell what movie it is.)

Packing Tape

Quilter's cutting mat and ruler

Rotary cutter

Pencil

Paper

Step 1: Template

First, you'll need a template.

Cut a piece of paper to fit a section of your window.

Lay your paper onto a quilter's cutting mat at an angle you like and draw horizontal lines across the paper that match the lines on the mat, as shown in the 2nd image. When you're done, you should have diagonal lines as shown in the 3rd image. These lines don't need to match the width of your film strip. One will be your starting point, and the others will help ensure you keep all the subsequent strips straight.

Flip the paper over, put it against a window, and trace the lines from the front onto the back.

Label one side "evens" and the other "odds."

Step 2: Laying Film

Tape the template down, "odds" side up, to the quilter's mat with a minimal amount of tape. I just used two small pieces.

Lay a piece of packing tape down from corner to corner, sticky side up. Tape each end to the quilter's mat.

Now, lay a piece of film over the template, being sure to line it up with one of the lines you've drawn, and press it down onto the tape.

Line the next piece of film up with the edge of the first one, and repeat until you've completely covered the paper template.

Step 3: Trim

Use a Quilter's ruler and rotary cutter to trim the excess film from the edges of the template.

After cutting one side, its easier to keep in place if you use a small piece of tape to stick the film down to the quilter's mat on the newly trimmed edge while you cut the rest of the edges.

Step 4: Tape More

Use the template to help flip the film over, then set it aside.

Use the quilter's ruler to hold down the curly edges while you lay strips of tape from top to bottom across the entire back of the film.

Be sure there is excess tape around the edges.

Once you've covered the film with tape, peel the taped film from the cutting mat and flip it over.

use the rotary cutter to trim off all but about a 1/2" of tape from around the edges.

Step 5: Apply to Window

With the 1/2" of tape around the edges, you can easily apply the film to a section of the window.

Repeat for the next section by flipping the template over to the "evens" side.

Continue to flip the template back and forth for each subsequent window.

Step 6:

Enjoy the sunlight and compliments on your home while feeling confident that your neighbors won't be watching you make dinner or walk around in your skivvies.