|
|
|
French Country Style Decorating Ideas
What constitutes the French country style of décor? Rustic, of course, is country in any language. But French country gives you the opportunity to add a little flair to your décor. Natural materials such as wood for tables, chairs and armoires,...
Great Ideas For Stair Railings
Stair railings at home are more than a simple way to get from a floor to another. You design an extension of your personal likes in decoration, with ornamental parts of wood, iron and other material easy to install that will enhance the value of...
How to Make Roman Shades -
Roman shades are a simple and elegant window treatment to block the sun or prying neighbors. Nicer than plain plastic shades, but less expensive than ornate window shades, Roman shades provide the perfect start to a beginning home decorator.
...
Preparing Your Home For Sale: Make Needed Repairs
Before a buyer considers your home seriously, it must meet his needs in a variety of ways. It must be a suitable commuting distance, neighborhood, design style, floorplan, size, number of bedrooms, etc. If all or most of these needs are met, the...
Three Easy Home Improvements For Under $100.00
It seems everyone is applying for loans so that they can make improvements to their home. Major improvements such as new flooring or a deck can require a significant amount of money. However, you don't have to go to those measures to make...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Make Simple Curtains and Valance for any Window
Making a quick set of curtains and a valance is something that you can do even if you don’t have much sewing experience. It’s just a matter of thinking through the process and calculating for fabric needed and knowing how to use a sewing machine.
Tools needed: calculator, pencil and paper, tape measure, yard stick, pins, scissors, iron, thread and sewing machine.
Decide what color or pattern will work best with your room décor now. Going to the fabric store is always one of my most fun times, I keep my imagination open and get swatches of fabrics (and prices) the first time to see what all my options are. Take swatches home and start eliminating them by laying them next to major parts of the already decorated room (couch, chair, tables, walls, etc).
Once you’ve decided on your fabric start measuring.
To measure for material, decide how long you would like the valance to be. Where will you place the curtains in the window? Will you do them café style or halfway down the window? Maybe you only want a small space between the valance and curtain, use your imagination, draw a sketch of the window and do some placements on it to see what looks good.
Once you make these decisions, measure from your top reference point (top of window, top of rod) down to where you want the valance to end. Add additional 7” for top and bottom hems(this will give you 3” for top hem, which rod will go through and 4” for bottom hem). Let’s say you want your valance to be 10” long, add 7” for hem and you have 17”. Now measure for your bottom curtains. The same goes here, measure from top reference point (where your curtains will start) to just BELOW or ABOVE the windowsill. Add the 7” to this length. EXAMPLE: 32” bottom curtain length, add 7” = 39”. Write all this down. For width across, measure across window from outside to outside molding. Depending on how “full” you want the curtains will be the deciding factor on how much material you purchase. Normal fullness recommendation would be twice the window width, or at least ½ again as much. We are going to be very basic, let’s say a normal window is 36” across X 60” length. This means you will need to calculate double the width for the valance and curtains, but remember the curtains are split in the middle. Most material will run 36”–44” (regular material) to 60” (drapery & upholstery material) in width. If you choose a fabric width of 36”- 44”, it will be easier to just use the width and cut a little off the ends it needed.
Now it’s time to go get your material! Take your swatch, sketch and measurements with you! I would recommend a pliable fabric that is easy to work with (cotton, broadcloth, etc). Have your material store sales person help you with calculating the amount, and give you any details in laying especially if it has a design going a specific way or has a nap. In most cases, 3-3½ yards should be plenty per window.
Pre-wash the material if you choose. If you do not pre-wash material and wash the curtains later expecting them to be the same length, you may be surprised! If you have pre-washed your material, take it out of dryer, fold in half, wrong
side out (if you can tell), like it was previously from store off the bolt, and lay it on your surface and smooth it out (table, floor, etc). Do the same for 60” width material; this will make it easier to handle. You may want to touch up with an iron.
Time to mark the fabric and cut! Your material is now laid out (not many wrinkles). You’ll want to get an even line across the top using your yardstick. Mark a straight line with a pencil along the top (if darker material a pen will work or even chalk if you have it). Eyeball it to make sure it looks even, sometimes the fabric store will not cut it even so it’s up to you. This will be your starting reference point (this will be a cutting line for you). Get your calculations for the length for each: valance and curtain. Now measure from that straight line down for valance length needed, do this twice because it needs to be doubled for fullness (unless 60” width fabric). Make a mark. Do the same halfway across and on the folded edge. Now put your yardstick across from mark to mark and draw a line (this will also be a cutting line). Do the same for curtains. Each curtain side gets its own length (unless 60” width fabric). Grab a couple of pins and pin just inside the edges and lines of each section you marked. Cut along lines. You should now have 4 pieces cut, 2 for the valance and 2 for each curtain side.
Once again were going to mark, this time on the right side of fabric. Open up your pieces, right side of fabric up, lay them out straight, using a pencil, lightly mark 3” down from straight top on each piece, make several marks across. Use yardstick to connect marks to make a straight line. Do the same on the bottom, 4” up from straight edge. Mark 1” in on both side edges of each piece. Mark all pieces. Make sure all marks are lightly placed on outside of fabric, but dark enough so you can see them. Sew two valance pieces together. Press seam flat. Sew outside edges of all pieces turning under ½” twice (will be 1” all together, pencil line should be on outside edges), press & stitch along inside folded under edge. Press up hems to inside of material along all marked lines. Fold them under ½ of width and press again. Stitch along that folded edge on inside. Holding fabric as you stitch to make sure fabric doesn’t bunch up. You should have a 2” bottom hem for each piece and a 1½” hem for top hem to slide curtain rods through. Make sure to backstitch when you begin sewing and at the end to reinforce stitching from coming out.
Voila’, there you have it! This process should only take about 1½ hours. Put your rods through the top hems of curtains. Put up valance and curtains.
About the Author
About the Author: Robin Hall has been a successful Tailor with over 30 years in business. She has sewn everything including home décor items. She has just started an online home décor store where you will find great products including great tips on decorating and home improvement. Stop by and see us/her at www.coollampsnstuff.com or send email with questions to sales@coollampsnstuff.com
Article Source: http://GoArticles.com/
|
|
|
|
|
| Lowe's Home Improvement |
| Retailer of a complete line of home improvement products and equipment. |
| www.lowes.com |
|
| Do It Yourself Home Improvement, Repair, and Remodeling ... |
| Doityourself home improvement and diy repair at DoItYourself.com. Includes diy home improvement projects, home improvement how to, home repair, ... |
| www.doityourself.com |
|
| "Home Improvement" (1991) |
| Home Improvement on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... |
| www.imdb.com |
|
| Hometime: Home Improvement, Remodeling and Repair |
| Hometime features step-by-step information to home improvement, remodeling, and repair. Projects include decks, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, landscaping ... |
| www.hometime.com |
|
| Home Improvement Cyberfans |
| Information on ABC's hit sitcom Home Improvement, it's cast and their acting careers. |
| www.morepower.com |
|
| Home Improvement Encyclopedia |
| Home repair, do-it-yourself and improvement advice for hundreds of home improvement projects. |
| www.bhg.com |
|
| the home depot |
| www.homedepot.com/ - 2k - Cached - Similar pages |
|
|
| Home Improvement - Do It Yourself - Home Remodeling | BobVila.com |
| Home improvement projects, featured products, tip library, bulletin board, designer tools, and information about television programs hosted by Bob Vila. |
| www.bobvila.com |
|
| Do It Yourself Home Improvements - Home Improvement Information ... |
| Research do-it-yourself improvements with home improvement information from our website. Search home repair articles by subject, task or location. |
| www.bobvila.com |
|
| Energy Star Home Improvement Toolbox |
| Improve Your Energy Efficiency at Home. Use our Home Improvement Toolbox to save money and help protect the environment without sacrificing comfort. |
| www.energystar.gov |
|
| Home Tips: The Web's Most Helpful Home Improvement and Repair Site |
| Free home improvement advice, great remodeling tips, and appliance buying guides by leading home improvement authority, DIY expert and HGTV personality, ... |
| www.hometips.com |
|
| HGTV : Decorating, Remodeling, Home Improvement & Gardening Ideas ... |
| Take a fresh approach to the way you live with HoFind ideas and inspiration from HGTV's videos to transform your home through decorating, home improvement, ... |
| www.hgtv.com |
|
| Home Improvement - Decks, Flooring, Lighting, Tiling, Renovations ... |
| Do-it-yourself home improvement projects and home improvement videos for decks, flooring, lighting, tiling, renovations and more, plus tips and step-by-step ... |
| www.diynetwork.com |
|
| Home Improvement TV Show - Home Improvement Television Show - TV.com |
| Home Improvement TV Show, TV.com is your reference guide to Home Improvement Show. Episode guide, photos, videos, cast and crew information, forums, ... |
| www.tv.com |
|
| Home Improvement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| From the outset of Season 2, Tim and Al would make a theme of a particular home improvement project or item on Tool Time by hosting a week long "salute" to ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| Home Improvement Archive |
| Home Improvement Archive -- Episode Guide, scripts, articles, and much more! |
| www.hiarchive.co.uk |
|
| Free Home Improvement Contractor Matching Service and Resources ... |
| Be matched with qualified and screened, expert contractors in your area in seconds with no obligation now. Improvenet offers the largest free contractor ... |
| www.improvenet.com |
|
| DIY Home Improvement, home repair Tips |
| DIY home improvement, remodeling, house repairs and maintainance Help Center...How To instructions for all your projects. |
| www.alsnetbiz.com |
|
| Amazon.com: Home Improvement: Electrical, Plumbing, Hardware ... |
| Online shopping for Home Improvement from a great selection of Tools & Hardware; Electrical, Plumbing, Hardware, Heating & Cooling, Building Materials ... |
| www.amazon.com |
|
| Home Improvement |
| AsktheBuilder.com: Build and remodel your home the right way. Learn how the master craftsmen of old built things to last. |
| www.askthebuilder.com |
|
|