Saturday, June 20, 2009

Welcome Shabby Chic Cottage Readers...

 This is a project I did a few months ago. Just so you feel better about any un-finished project you may have allow me to confess the curtains are still not hemmed.  Nor will they be until the first snow falls.  And you know what? That's ok. Life will continue and other more pressing projects will get completed.  And I also never took the iron to the slight fold on the valance.  Time took care of that issue and it's all straight now. 


Drapes for non-sewers...

Although there is a minor bit of sewing on my new drapes (which are not quite complete), it is an easy way to get a rather sophisticated look with a small amount of work or money.

Still needed is the hemming of the cafe curtains and some steaming on the right side of the valance.

My window span is quite large. Each window is 45" wide with about 4" between them. I hate windows covered during the day so the side panels are completely off the windows.

Here's what I did:

The top panel is simply a piece of fabric doubled over (saves hemming), that reaches from the ceiling to the top of the windows. It is stapled (I love my electric staple gun) unto a wood dowel that is flat on one side. Due to the width I did had to sew two pieces together (be still my beating heart), but managed to soldier through with that onerous task.

The sides are simply the 56" wide fabric split in two and hemmed (more heart palpitations) They were gathered and stapled on the back of the dowel. The whole thing sits on three L screws that are turned sideways for installation and flipped back up to make sure the whole thing doesn't fall on a visitor. Presto-whammo - I have drapes!

The cafe material provided a bonus since both side of the shiny crinkle stuff was "sealed" so I didn't have to hem the sides (yeah!) I also can slide them open during the day from the middle so the dogs can see out and bark at every leaf that drops.



Folded and stapled on the sides to form a pretty corner...

I don't like to block my pretty view... (That small dark thing on the chair is Elle, and she is obviously unimpressed with the new drapes)
Beautiful fabric bought on sale at Hancock Fabric...

Send me some pictures of your clever window treatments or give me a link. Sharing ideas is what it's all about...

8 comments:

Sarah - Kala said...

Who knew it could be so easy and so BEAUTIFUL! Yes, yorks sure do bark at anything that drops. My Hols has barked at the rain!

Adrienne said...

Sophie (humane society reject of unknown origin) hides when there is rain and thunder. Elle barks at the thunder as though to say, "stop that racket." The cats sleep - heh

Adrienne said...

Oh yeah - Elle is a puppy mill Yorkie rescue and it's evident the cage doors were left open one night. She has something else mixed in there but only God knows what it is...

We love her anyway!

MightyMom said...

hey girl. great job and cool fabric.

I prefer to make curtains out of sheets!!

Later this week (after the work stint is done) I'll send you pics with explanations of the ones I've done from sheets.

If you don't get them by Friday REMIND ME!!!

:-)

Adrienne said...

I LOVE sheets! Looking forward to the pictures...

The House Creative said...

Love that you didn't have to sew! Great job!

Adrienne said...

Gina - you are without a doubt the nicest and hardest working blogger, evah!!!

Adrienne said...

Shannon - I was actually looking at patterns yesterday. Then I slapped myself a few times and came to my senses...heh