Crafty Weekend
We've been in this house since about June of 2006. So about a year and a half. One of the first things we did when we moved in was remove all the window treatments the former owner so kindly left for us. The former owner was obviously handy with a sewing machine - a better seamstress than myself. Her taste however, differed greatly from mine. The house was filled with voluminous balloon valences, lacy sheers, and, well, more balloon valences. Most of these treatments looked like they were made years ago and never cleaned.
Ever.
Taking them down was a huge improvement, and we put up temporary paper blinds. Note the word temporary. Up until a few weeks ago, they were still up on 90% of our windows.
I've made curtains before, and thought I'd eventually get to making them for this house. I gave up in the baby's room and our bedroom and dropped money on pre-made treatments. But I decided to make a curtain for the hall bath and curtains for the office.
I have a love-hate relationship with sewing. I took home-ec in high school. I made a pair of shorts and some pillows that spelled out "Jenny." I vaguely remember the steps of cutting the pattern, tracing the lines with a wheely thing and some kind of carbon paper. Then basting the pieces and sewing them. In my adult attempts at sewing I rarely follow any of these steps, and that may explain why almost everything I've sewn turns out wonky.
For the hall bath I purchased 2 yards of striped home decorator fabric. I cut the fabric in half width-wise (I don't think that you're really supposed to make curtains that way. I'm guessing you're supposed to make two panels with the entire width of fabric.), hemmed the sides, the bottom, and made a pocket at the top for the rod. I thought it turned out well and matches our bathroom. And now people can't see us pee. And really, what more can you ask for in a curtain?
I also made two pairs of these curtains with remnant home decorator fabric I bought a year ago. Same sort of technique, but I added about a 18 inches of linen-like material to the ends. These turned out better than I anticipated.
I didn't pin these, or measure them. I very haphazardly held them up to the window, guessed the length and did a lot of ironing to set the hem so I'd know where to sew. Both these projects took me about an hour and I'd guess that with the fabric being on sale, cost me under $50.
We only have one set of paper shades left, and I think I have a trip to the home store in my future, because I am all sewn out.
And because I can't post without one, here's a picture of Baby Lug. Oh hey, and there's me too if you forget what I look like. (Yes, he's wearing Atlanta Falcons pajamas. They were on sale. No he does not like the Falcons, or condone dog fighting.)
Posted by jen at January 27, 2008 09:07 PM
Comments
ooh! I like the new window treatments! I'm impressed.
and I'm going to pretend that Baby Lug's pjs are a shout-out to your Georgia readers. holla, Baby Lug!
Posted by: Carrie at January 27, 2008 11:24 PM
Baby Lug is so cute! I like the treatments, I especially like the complementary color at the bottom of the second one.
Posted by: Stephanie at January 28, 2008 04:04 AM
Hey JENNY on the block!!! The curtains look awesome as do you and of course the babster. He is changing and looking more like a young man now.
Posted by: Betsy at January 28, 2008 08:33 AM
LOVE the curtains! That's how i make them too - eye-balling it and no pins :) Who needs the extra work of measuring! :)
Baby Lug getting SO BIG! We need to get the kiddies together this summer! :)
Posted by: MF at January 28, 2008 10:59 AM
hey! I think they came out FABULOUS!!!! YAY for quick, crafty home-decor!!
Posted by: Lara at January 28, 2008 11:23 AM
Hi, I just ventured over via Potter Craft and I wanted to compliment you on the curtains. I especially like the gold sash - so classy! We moved into our house this past July and I've been contemplating curtains ever since.
Posted by: Carrie Ellis at February 14, 2008 12:50 PM
