drapery

it’s been a couple of weeks since i started this post…(you can see we’re still unpacking in this picture!)

and i have yet to completely finish this project… but i still wanted to share it. because we have 14 windows in our new apartment, it is a beautiful light-filled space.

we LOVE it.

the only time we don’t love the light filled space is at 5:30 in the morning. it makes us grumpy.

to remedy the situation i bought fabric and prepared to make some drapes for our little bedroom.

i used this tutorial by Miss Mustard Seed. she explains everything way better than i could. i just thought i’d show you some of the photos from along the way. 

the tricky thing with our bedroom windows is that #1-they’re HUGE. #2-there’s the radiator underneath them so the drapes can’t go all the way to floor. boo. i hate it when drapes don’t go all the way to the floor. but it is what it is.

i ordered my fabric from Joann’s. because we live out in the boonies, the closest Joann’s was at least a 45 min drive and  i just wasn’t in the mood and online is just so easy ;) but, they were having an awesome sale on Waverly Sun and Shade fabrics… oh look! they still are! i really like this sort of old fashioned looking Chippendale Fretwork design. i also bought the cheapest lining material i could find {what can i say? i didn’t have a job yet!}. as you can see from the picture below… it doesn’t do much…how see-thru can ya get?! but at least it will add an extra layer.

first i measured and cut the fabric and lining. i learned this trick from YHL -to use your area carpets to cut a straight line. genius!!

then puppycakes did his part of the project by chewing on the enormously large cardboard tube that the fabric came on. he sure is helpful.

then Husbuddy brought  home a donut. i don’t eat donuts. it’s a rule. they’re just sugar anyway- who needs that?

…unless the donut is pink frosting with sprinkles. i don’t know why. something inside my can’t resist the food coloring and sprinkles… i’m completely pathetic in my ability to resist the pink. and if it’s rainbow sprinkles it’s even worse.

after i ate it i promptly told Husbuddy he wasn’t allowed to buy me any more donuts.

then i got to sewing. i just followed the tutorial by Miss Mustard seed. the only difference was that i had to use the whole width of the fabric to make the panels wide enough. so i sewed right up to the edge of the pattern.

then i got out our ridiculously small ironing board and crouched on the floor for an hour while i ironed all the seams.

can you tell i don’t get out the iron that often?

then i sewed the slot for the curtain rod. the tutorial said to give it an inch or two… i could have given myself a little extra room but i liked the way it was tight and the way it ruffled.

ta da.

now all i have to do is hem it! {the reason it’s taken me so long to post about this…i really thought i’d get it done first… but i’ve given up waiting!} actually… my goal is to find lace to put on the bottom and to use as the tie. right now i’m just using an old ribbon… but i have greater plans that involve lace.

if i ever get around to it.

for now the light is a little better.   it still comes through because i picked such a cheap lining…note to self… there IS  a reason that lining was so cheap! anyway, even so, it helps a lot. it also makes it feel like we have more privacy. and it adds a little bit of cuteness to the room.