A collar for a venetian blind has two generally rectangular rings or half rings, one fitting over the headrail and the other fitting over the bottom rail. A sidewall or pair of spaced apart sidewalls extend between the two rings or half rings, such that the headrail and bottom rail are maintained in a desired spaced apart relationship. That spacing corresponds to a distance between the headrail die cavity and a bottom rail die cavity in a cut-down machine. Consequently, the end of a venetian blind to which the collar is attached may be readily inserted into the cutting die of a cut-down machine.