1.20.2008

Crafty curtain project

In our new house, there are, admittedly, some really cool curtains. They fit the house. They match the walls, or are cute and homey.

There are some windows without curtains entirely. I really hope to fix that soon. Then, there's one window where I didn't like the curtains. They were kinda dingy white with a pink floral border- and anyone who knows me knows I'm not usually into "pink floral". Besides, we are using the room as a game/toy/TV room, so something with more youthful colors & styles would fit better. The result still needed to be home-y and cottage-y, to fit the rest of the house.

I didn't want to go out and buy curtains before seeing what I had in-hand to make some, since I've heard of so many people having success putting their own together. The difference between me & other-people-who-make-curtains: I don't have (nor know how to use) a sewing machine. I was going to have to be really creative.

Because the only shower in the house that needs a shower curtain came with one that matched the mostly-maroon bathroom, our previous cloth shower curtain was just being stored, getting no use. It was a good piece of fabric, though, with fun blue-and-green colors not specific to a bathroom. Josh & I had even talked about painting the game/toy/TV room in a similar green color to give it a fun vibrancy. All that said, I decided to use the old shower curtain to make the new curtains for the room.

I cut the curtain to the same length as the previous curtains, for lack of any better ideas. I cut slits in the bottom hem of the shower curtain so that the curtain rod could be pulled through the existing hem (which, conveniently, was plenty big for the curtain rod)
The leftover fabric became the matching valance.
I'm still debating whether to put a cord by the curtains to tie them back.

By no means is this a professional job, but it isn't bad for the $1.60 I spent on the whole project, for a curtain rod.

Now, what do y'all think about that stenciled border?

8 comments:

Meredith said...

Very clever--especially the way you used the hem for a rod pocket.

I also don't sew and still consider it one of my biggest frugal failings.

I would have to paint over the border.

Alisse Goldsmith said...

I am incredibly impressed! I both know how to sew and use a sewing machine, and yet my apartment is still without curtains! Nice job!

Joanna said...

Ha, I was just looking at the picture I posted, and realized that everything in it was either given to us free or from Goodwill. Wow. Nice.

The story of most my stuff.

Lisa said...

Well, the border certainly does not match the curtain now.

Are you planning to replace the carpet eventually (you will be if you put your nose on it)? I'd paint the walls whenever you tear up the carpet.. that's the best time.

Joanna said...

"I'd paint the walls..."
Is that an offer to help?
;-)

Anonymous said...

I say paint the walls. If you really want to have fun you could paint a corner with chalkboard paint. However, this probably isn't a great idea for allergy sufferers.

Larissa said...

I'm impressed!

Kristen said...

I like the curtains. And way to be creative. I need to get working on some for my room.

What do I think of the border? Well, I think it reminds me of my bathroom in texas :)

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