I finished my curtains for my front room! Woohoo! :)
They’re fun and bright – and definitely colorful!!
In case you missed my progress so far – I made some cute Stitched Furniture Silhouettes for my wall, and a Sunny Yellow Clock.
Now I’ve added curtains to my front window to bring it all together!
Since I’m renting – I can’t take down the mini-blinds, but I love the way the curtains brighten up the space and some color!
Aren’t they fun? I love the Heather Bailey Pop Garden fabric – and the ruffle at the top looks like a little valance!
I will reveal how everything looks all together at the end – but first I’ll show you how to make these. They’re super quick and easy!
These are 84″ x 41″ wide panels. You can adjust the measurements/amounts to fit your windows.
For these you’ll need – 4 1/2 yards of the main fabric, 2 yards of the ruffle fabric.
Cut the main fabric in half and hem the two long sides and the bottom short side.
To make nice pointed corners, hem down one side until you are about 6″ away from the bottom.
Fold the bottom edge up at an angle to make a small triangle about twice the width of the hem.
Fold the bottom edge up once to meet the top of the triangle,
And then fold one more time so that fold cuts across the seam at a 45 degree.
Continue sewing down the side until you just catch the fold, then with your needle in the down position, turn the fabric and sew the bottom hem.
You should have a nice clean point for your corner!
Press the hem down.
Repeat for the other panel.
Cut your top fabric into four 6″ x 45″ pieces and four 8″ x 45″ pieces. These will be the two top ruffles for each panel.
Sew two of the 6″ pieces together on one short side and two of the 8″ pieces together on one short side.
Hem the two short sides and long bottom side of each of the ruffles.
Gather the top edge of each of the ruffles so that the measure the width of the top panel piece. (Should be around 41″ depending on the original width of your fabric.)
Repeat for the other two ruffles for the other panel.
Cut your remaining red fabric into 16 – 3″ x 7″ pieces. Fold the pieces in half and sew a 1/4″ seam down the raw edges.
Turn the tab pieces right side out and press.
Fold the pieces in half and pin 8 tabs along the top of each panel. Pin them to the wrong side of the fabric.
You’ll need to adjust this a bit for the width of your panel, but my tabs were pinned so the center of each tab was 5 7/8″ apart.
I’m sure there’s a nifty math-y kind of way to figure out how to make them even. I’m not so good at that – so I just kept adjusting my tabs/measurements until they were even. :)
Sew a basting stitch along the top to sew the tabs down, 1/4″ from the raw edge.
On top of the tabs, again on the wrong side of the fabric, pin first the small ruffle, right side down, then the large ruffle on top of that, right side down.
The top raw edges of the ruffles should line up with the top edge of the panel.
Press the ruffles down towards the front – and you’re done with the curtains!
I also spraypainted an old metal curtain rod to match my Sunny Yellow Clock – with the Rustoleum Sunny Yellow.
Hang up your new curtains and curtain rod and admire your bright new curtains!!
I love the red of the ruffle against the yellow of the curtain rod.
Here’s how the whole wall looks!
I have never claimed to be a decorator. And I have never claimed to be one of those awesome decorator blogs. :)
So your advice/thoughts are seriously appreciated!!
I have in my rocking chair a fabulous pillow I picked up at the Queen Bee Market from an AMAZING little booth – Smitten.
It’s a super cute red houndstooth with a vintage quilt piece on it. I was so thrilled that it had the red, turquoise and yellow in it!
The Sunny Yellow Clock is on my Vintage Radio – it was my grandparents and it plays AM Stations and records.
I know it’s kind of popular to paint just about everything right now, but I can’t bring myself to paint some of these antique pieces I have. I think the wood looks ok, since it’s brightened up by the color around it.
And the pattern on the curtains ties in well with the yellow and red on the clock!
Ok – so what do you think? Does the wall need anything else? (Keep in mind I can’t paint)
Is it too much? Too little?
I love it – but I’m also totally open to your ideas and suggestions!! :)
I’m linking to Sunday Scoop, Today’s Creative Blog, Met Monday, Skip to my Lou, Tutorials & Tips Tuesday, Quilt Story, and the other fabulous parties on the sidebar – make sure you check them out!
What a colorful and happy room! Your curtains are so cute. Love your fabric choice!
darling curtains! i love them!
I love your curtains. Just gorgeous!
Vanessa
they are such a pretty addition. Very “you”. Love it!
Your curtains are so fun and colorful! Oh my goodness, I love that fabric! And your bright yellow clock is just perfect for that spot! And I totally agree…there’s no way I’d paint that antique radio. The only thing I would suggest changing is the wall with the little framed…ummm…I can’t tell what those are. Prints? Cross stitch? Anyway, I just think the wall needs more to fill in more space. You currently have six. If it were mine, I would at least double that number. But that’s just my two cents. :)
YES! Love the Daisy Chain fabric, have a few yards myself! That pop of color is fabulous!
Wow! I love that fabric! Such bright fun colors! And I really like the ruffle on the curtains too! Thanks for sharing!
Jen
I think you picked some great patterns! Great job :)
Love it.. and what I love more is that you really sew.. I also sew.. (ok I sew a lot, also teach sewing) I am so thrilled to see a real sewn project as opposed to a set of curtains that have been glue-gunned together… they look wonderful.. so cherry!
Maddie- with obviously pro-sew tendancies
They look so pretty! I adore the fabrics! And thanks for teaching me how to make a corner. I had no clue!
Lovely, Bev! I love the colors you are using to brighten up your space. I think it looks perfect the way you currently have it! (And that pillow is rockin’!) :)
I think it’s just perfect the way it is, anything more and it will be too busy. Your details will get lost in the larger picture and lose some of the charm. Your curtains turned out devine!! I love Heather Bailey fabric.
I love all the color and cheerfulness. I also love that you took so much care in ‘finishing’ your work. The curtains look amazing!!
They look fabulous Bev! Such a fun pop of color!
So much loveliness in one picture! Curtains look amazing as does the bright yellow clock!!!! Woo Hoo! Thanx for sharing the great tutorial!
Natalie
http://www.projectdowhatyoulove.wordpress.com
You certainly know how to brighten up your home, I think its amazing what you have done!! :D
WOW! LOVE THEM…the colors are poppin’ and brighten the room beautifully!
It looks beautiful! I love those two fabrics together – I’ve always loved the mixing of patterns, I just don’t think I’m very good at it! The colors are perfect. A++ from me! Thanks so much for sharing.
WOW, you did an amazing job! If you get a chance, I’d love to have you link up to my party at http://scrapbookingez.blogspot.com/2011/09/everyone-wins-giveaway-linky-party.html. Thanks for sharing!
Would LOVE it if you would link this project up at my turquoise lovin’ party going on right now!! http://www.sweetlittlegals.com/2011/09/turquoise-lovin-5.html
These are adorable! I love the color combination. I would love it if you would share them on my Linky Party. It’s my first one!!!! http://www.projectqueen.org. Hope you stop by. :-)
I like the bright pieces you have added in to make the space yours…. I would recommend NOT painting the antique pieces. They are beautiful just the way they are, and I believe painting them would ruin their historic appeal.
LOVE the curtains. I love how you are brightening everything up. If my husband’s favorite decor color wasn’t khaki I’d have curtain just as colorful.
Those are so fun! That is the brightest, happiest little corner, I love it! Great Job!!
Those curtains totally brighten up the room! I love the patterns and colours you chose!
Bev, you are so amazing, you make everything seem so easy! Everything look perfect, I wouldn’t change a thing.
LOVE the curtains! Awesome job!!!
very fun and funky, like you!
Those curtains really make the room. What a difference. I would love for you to link up to my Sizzle into Summer party that opens tonight at 8pm EST. Hope to see you there.
Love the color combinations! Such a happy room!
These are adorable!
I especially LoVe the fabric choices
I LOVE these! They are absolutely darling and I want to run to the fabric store and buy stuff to make my own right away! Great way to add a pop of color with out painting the walls!
So glad I found you on the Sew Much Ado Blog Hop!
Oh Bev, did I read that right? “super quick and easy”? This would take me 3 weeks! I’m so terrified of that sewing maching sitting upstairs in my bonus room! You, however, rocked it! I really really really love the fabric! Everything came together so nicely!
Those are so stinkin cute! LOVE the fabric!
Very cute! The bright fabric colors are perfect, so cheery and fun!
When I first saw the color of cutains, my first thought was OMG- but as I looked at more pictures I fell in love with the room. It looks Happy & warming. But I agree with Kristy–the wall art, needs something bigger I think. I feel the frames pull away from the curtains.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.
kathy f
Look Great!
Thanks for linking to Take-A-Look Tuesday – you were featured today! TWICE :)
-Mandy, http://www.SugarBeeCrafts.com
Your curtains are so cheerful! I love the fabrics that you used, they definitely tie all the other projects together. Thanks for sharing
Awesome curtains! I will save your tute for future use. :) Thanks for sharing!
I love the curtains and I would definitely skip painting, that wood looks great.
These curtains are adorable! I love the colors that you have put together in this space. We are getting ready to make the transition from “owning” to “renting”. I was dreading the white walls, but you have given me such inspiration. There is life and decorating with white walls! I now have hope. :)
Thanks for sharing! :)
Oh my gosh these are so amazing! They finish off your already gorgeous room just perfectly.
OMG!! These are super cute…love the color combinations. I’m gonna have to make bright curtains for my house…my house is too safe when it comes to colors…thanks for the inspiration.
Would love it if you would link this up to our Rockin’ link party going on now at RoCa and Company. Here is the link: http://rocaandcompany.blogspot.com/2011/09/welcome-fall-and-you-rock-2.html Come and show off what you got. Hope to see you there…
Remember…YOU ROCK!!
Carmen @
RoCa and Company
http://www.rocaandcompany.blogspot.com
Love this so much!
Jenny
http://www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com
Oh I just love your adorable drapes! I hope you will add your lovely metamorphosis to my Fall in Love linky party on Wednesday.
Until then, stop by and see the under $20 makeover I gave an ugly brass light fixture.
Happy Monday!
Probably the prettiest curtains I’ve ever seen! And I love the way they look with your sunshiney clock, the pillow, wall-art, and that fabulous vintage radio!
Jenn
Love this! I am featuring this on my blog the Wednesday! Have a wonderful week! johnnyinadress.com
I just love how bold and colourful these are! Great job! Spray painting the curtain rod yellow really gives that finishing touch.
PS, Found you via Under the Table and Dreaming!
I had already picked this fabric for my kitchen/dining area. Cute to see it actually used and get an idea how it will look.
I’m about to purchase that fabric as well to make curtains for my Living room and it is great to see it already in use! So cute! Love your ideas. What is the fabric pattern called that you used for the ruffles on top?
I know the other is Pop Daisy.
Thanks!
Thanks for not painting all the old wood things. I hate to see them ruined by a coat of paint. I love your cutains. I had just made some for my diningroom or would have made these. Mine look like draps from the fifties/sixties when they used the tropical floral prints. My sister kept saying you aren’t really going to use that material, but I did. I like them and that’s all that matters. Yours are cute. I may use your design on my kitchen curtains. Thanks.
That is the easiest mitered corner that I’ve ever seen! Love the ruffle on the curtains. Thanks so much for your tutorial.
This is the easiest curtain, I’ve seen and I just love it!!! Red is my favorite color and it caught my eye! I am ready to make curtains for my daughters new kitchen and this is the perfect curtain to go into her Red Kitchen! Thanks for taking the time
to help others, it’s so appreciated!!!
This looks like home….
Your room looks very cute and I love the curtains.
I’m not sure why you would want to remove the mini blinds but it’s really easy if you wish to do so. The front piece of each support bracket is hinged. Just lift it up and slide the blinds out for storage.
I’m really enjoying your site.
Bev, I just saw these on Pinterest, don’t know how I missed them the first time around. I love them! You asked if you needed to do anything else, I think painting that a bright color could be alot of fun!
I have been looking for curtain ideas and patterns to make for awhile (bought my house over two years ago). The owners actually left some really cute curtains in some of the rooms but not in all of them. I have a wall of sliding glass doors in my bedroom with vertical white panel blinds which help keep out some light but aren’t very attractive and two other bedrooms that need some help. I shopped around and any of the curtains I liked were crazy expensive for just one panel. I can’t wait to buy some more fabric and start sewing!
Hello! I featured your tutorial in my blog series, Living in a White Box. My series features tips, inspiration, and ideas for how to decorate rental homes. Your curtains were perfect for my latest post as they’re such a colorful and happy way to dress up windows.
If you like, you can grab a featured button and check out my post at Living in a White Box: Mini-Blind Madness. Thanks for sharing your amazing creativity!
Love your fancy curtains, no need for other “accessories”. In fact, I have some twin sized sheets that have a subtle design in them, I am going to try your idea to dress them up and freshen up one of my rooms. Great project, keep up your great work!!!
wow so nice. thanks
I think it looks quirky, whimsical, and a perfect little corner.